Disclaimer: I don't own skip beat or any of its characters.


Forever Yours

Chapter-4


Lory was having troubles in his mind. He was staring blankly at the wall with a scowl look on his face.

Kyoko's behavior was disturbing him so much.

"I don't think she's alright. Something is definitely wrong with her" Kanae stated.

Lory nodded in agreement.

"She wasn't herself. Didn't you notice something strange about her? She looked so frightened, nervous, her usual charming persona was gone, determined look in her eyes was nowhere to be found and she looked absent minded. Her eyes lacked the usual shine that I used to admire a lot and on top of everything she's in relationship with Ishibashi-kun? I can never believe something like that. Mogami-kun can never do such thing. She's in love with Ren, she isn't the kind of person to dump him without a reason and find someone else at once. There's something troubling her" Lory said suspiciously.

Kanae nodded in response.

"Whatever it is, we need to find out soon and help them to get together again" Lory said seriously.

Yashiro looked up at him with disbelieve.

"But President isn't she off limits now?" he asked.

"I never thought that I would ever say this but she isn't married to Hikaru yet and moreover those two need each other otherwise they would never be able to live peacefully so for the sake of their undying love, we'll have to help them" President stated the fact.

"I'm in President" Yashiro said happily.

"Me too" Kanae joined in.

"Good" Lory clapped as he began scheming in his mind about what he could do to bring back his beloved children together again.


Ren couldn't believe it. Kyoko was engaged to someone else? He didn't like the sound of it. Kyoko was his, wasn't she? How could she be with someone else? He was scared and confused.

"Didn't she leave me for Fuwa? Fuwa said it himself then how come she accepted Hikaru's proposal?" Ren was bewildered. It was too difficult to believe.

"What's the meaning of this Kyoko? How can you do this to me? Didn't you love me as much as I loved you? You can't imagine how painful and lonely it was for me to spend those years without you. You have to make it up to me. It's not fair. I won't accept it. I'll not let you go. Neither for Fuwa nor for Hikaru, I'll never give up on you for anyone."

"Kyoko left you because of me Tsuruga. She came to her senses and realized her love for me before it was too late so she left you without a word. What else could be the reason for her to leave right before two days of her wedding? She didn't love you. It was delusional. Accept it Tsuruga. I've won against you. I've managed to defeat you in matters of heart. She's mine only." heart wrenching words of Sho echoed in Ren's mind.

He picked up the pace and practically ran when he saw her walking speedily through the hallway.

"Kyoko, please wait!" he shouted as he caught her wrist and spun her around.

"Let me go!" she fought back as she twisted her arm in an attempt to pull her arm out of his deadly grasp but too bad for her it only got tighter.

"Please I'm sorry. Don't do this Kyoko. Don't leave me" he begged. His ever so cool voice was betraying him. He was on the edge of break down. People around them began to take notice. Leaving their work on halt, they fixed their gaze on them.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see that he was catching attention as people were eying them suspiciously so not to make a mess, he grabbed Kyoko's arm tightly and pulled her in a sound proof conference room which was luckily nearby.

Kyoko protested but he ignored it. He locked the door and pinned her against the wall with his large hands and strong body blocking her escape.

"Why are you doing this?" he whispered with his lips inches apart from hers, sending jolts of ecstasy down her spine.

He touched her forehead with his and closed his eyes. "Please Kyoko... I can't lose you. I'm sorry. I don't know what took over me. I reacted on impulse. I couldn't bear the thought of you being with someone else. I am insanely in love with you even more than before. It was never my intention to hurt you purposely but it just happened accidentally. I'm ready for punishment. hit me, shoot me, break me, bury or burn me alive. I won't mind at all but please don't take yourself away from me" Ren's voice was hoarse.

Kyoko started shaking. Tears were streaming from her eyes. It was exactly what she wanted to hear from him "I am insanely in love with you... even more than before" but she knew he didn't mean it. He had already pushed her away stating clearly that he didn't feel a thing for her anymore. He was just being emotional.

"Your voice makes me feel comfortable. Your touch erases my fear and makes me feel protected. When you are with me, I feel like I can put up with anything. You are the only one who can put me out of my misery but I can't be with you. I don't deserve you. I am dirty. You are so precious to me that's why I want to keep a violated person like me away from you to save you from suffering any further. Live your own life Ren. Don't care about me anymore."

"I'm sorry but I can't..." she whispered. Her heart was bleeding. Her wounds were getting wider and incurable.

Ren took a step backwards in shock.

"Why you can't?"

"It hurts so much Kyoko. Kill me if you want to punish me but don't say things like that. I can't take it. I won't be able to make it without you. I need you in my life more than anything and anyone else"

Kyoko looked away as the pain in her heart started to make it difficult for her to stand straight.

"I can't because we don't belong to each other anymore. You made it clear. We never meant to be together" she said in a heart breaking tone.

Ren's heart sank.

"It can't be. She took it so seriously. I was just angry and desperate. I really deserve to be killed!" he cursed himself under his breath.

He closed the distance between them and gripped her shoulders for dear life with his trembling hands as he pleaded her to understand.

"You left for six years before our wedding. You didn't even bother to inform me or at least tell me the reason what I did to make you upset. I was left heart broken. The person I loved betrayed me and left me behind without any explanation, without any contact information, tramping over my heart. You can't even imagine how I survived. All I ever wanted was just to be with you but your silent disappearance turned me back into the beast again. I couldn't take it anymore so when you came back, I reacted against my will. I said cruel things that I never meant. I shouldn't have said anything. I should have listened to you and let you explain. I accept my mistake. I humbly apologize from the bottom of my heart for everything. Please Kyoko forgive me. Please understand that the person who loves the most gets angry the most. I was just angry. I never meant anything I said. I wasn't in my senses at that time so I'm sorry" he repeated desperately in a fear that he might lose her forever if he didn't explain everything quickly.

Kyoko flinched. She gasped audibly when tears started to escape from Ren's eyes.

She wanted nothing but to embrace him, to kiss him and remove all of his doubts away. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. He was the only one for her for eternity but she didn't dare to let her feelings take over her. She couldn't allow herself to hurt him more than she already had. She was ready sacrifice herself for his happiness but she couldn't stand the sight of his tear-streaked face. She was her beloved so how could she just stand there and enjoy his sufferings? His tears were shooting daggers deeper and deeper in her heart.

"Don't cry Ren, Please don't cry. I can't be with you. Forget about me and move on please. You don't deserve a person like me"

Her desperate heart won against her brain and she leaned forward to wipe his tears away.

Ren stared at her. Just a slight touch and he felt as if all of his tensions had left him at once. He felt at peace.

He looked into her tear filled eyes and wanted to lose himself in their depth. Concern for him was visible in her eyes and something more along with sadness that caused his heart to pound.

"You still love me don't you Kyoko?" Ren asked grabbing her hand softly that was still caressing his cheek.

Getting off guard, she pulled her hand away.

"I... don't, Tsuruga-san... I..." she whispered, shutting her eyes tightly.

"Hurry up and go away Ren or else I'll lose myself into my heart desires. I'm scared. Hurry up and walk away"

Ren was trying his best to keep himself in control. He reminded himself over and over again about his purpose. He was there to make things right not worse

Taking deep breaths, he looked at her facial expression.

"You do Kyoko" he stated confidently.

Kyoko flinched.

"No! I don't" she stated being so stubborn that she was.

Ren wasn't ready to believe her.

"You love me and I guarantee it. It's written all over your face. You can't lie to me and besides, you aren't a good liar anyway" Ren declared proudly.

"Is my face unable to hide my feelings?" she questioned herself.

Kyoko's heart gave her a warning. Any more pushing and it would be all over. He would know her crime of loving him more than her own life. She didn't want to give in. She couldn't so she defended herself.

She laughed at him.

"You are so full of yourself. Didn't I say it clearly that I'm engaged to Hikaru now? Why don't you get it?"

"Pain is never going to leave me. It will chase after me for the rest of my life Ren. Don't do this to me. Don't make things difficult for me anymore"

Ren glared at her, as he trapped her once again.

"Why?" blood was boiling rapidly in his veins.

Kyoko caught the glimpse of anger in his eyes and it made her uneasy. She thought it was best to make it clear to him once and for all even if it caused death for her heart.

"I don't feel the same way anymore" she whispered and looked away from his saddened face, that punched her deeper into her heart.

Ren's glare deepened.

"Why Kyoko? Why don't you love me? Tell me what did I do to make you run away from me? How can you leave me in the middle and come back after giving me a hell of six years just to be with another guy? How can you do this? Do you hate me that much to put me through all this? Is this your revenge on me? Ren was fighting with his inner beast. He didn't want to ruin everything once more.

Kyoko felt terrible. She wanted to dig up a hole and bury herself alive. She was making him suffer. Her fate was playing cruel games with her and she was helpless against it.

"I..." she was tongue tied.

Ren let out a defeated laugh.

"You never loved me. He was right, you never did. It was just temporary affection or may be physical attraction which faded away with distance" he accused her.

Kyoko's eyes grew wide.

"He...? Who's he? What is he talking about? Was it Shoutaro...?" Kyoko turned pale.

"It's not like that..." she muttered. What was she supposed to say? She couldn't possibly reveal the truth now could she?

"Come to think of it, how can you ever be over someone you loved since your childhood? You wanted to spend your life with him and you realized it on time you left me behind, Although I was dear to you but they say... first love can never be forgotten" Ren was devastated, without realizing that he was crushing Kyoko with his sharp statement.

"It's not what you think... I..." Kyoko lost the words and will to explain.

"How am I going to explain to him? He'll only get the wrong idea. Kyoko was so helpless.

Ren leaned forward and the tip of their noses touched. Kyoko's heart began to pound.

"Then tell me what is it? Explain it to me! How could you do this unless it was all superficial? You left me because of Fuwa didn't you Kyoko? You were scared that I might lose my temper if you revealed your true feelings for him so you thought it was best to leave out of guilty that you couldn't love me the way you promised. But why Hikaru? Why? How can you be so heartless? What did I do to deserve this? I just loved you. Was it a crime? Was it really a mistake for me?" he breathed out. His warm breath was torturing her to the core. His sad face was tempting her to embrace him and never let go.

Kyoko felt as if her whole body was pricked with sharp needles.

She tried to push him away, using her hands but he was so strong. He held her wrists in a tight grip, and pushed her deeper against the wall. She fought against his mighty strength but it was of no use.

When she didn't respond at all and just looked like a kicked and frightened puppy, he sighed heavily.

"All this time, I gave myself false hopes that you would come back one day and I would be able to spend my life with you again. You never loved me and here I thought you..." his voice was cracked. He sighed again.

"We were so happy together..." this time he couldn't hold himself back and the dam of longed emotions broke down.

"You hate me so much don't you? Because You love Fuwa" he looked at her with pleading eyes to make him believe that it was a lie.

Kyoko shook her head disbelievingly.

She kept shaking her head back and forth in denial.

"It's not like that..." she found her voice to repeat the same excuse.

"If you don't love Fuwa then why can't you be with me? Why are marrying Hikaru in the first place? I just don't understand. It's just so confusing!" he growled with a tint of jealousy, anger and desperation.

She looked down, tears made way on her face.

"Don't look away, answer me! Look into my eyes! Ren demanded, gritting his teeth as he grabbed her chin and forced her to look up with his thumb.

Kyoko squirmed.

"I... didn't leave because I loved Sho I..." Kyoko couldn't find the right words to explain.

"You left because of him. You didn't love me" he shouted.

"I didn't" she protested angrily.

"You did!" he accused. Volume of his voice was increasing, his grip on her becoming more deadly.

"I didn't!" she backfired, it was enough for her.

"Then why the hell did you leave..."

"BECAUSE HE RAPED ME!" she shouted as she shoved him away, using all of her strength and Ren fell on the ground with the impact of her words and sudden push.

World stopped for him. He turned into a statue. He was staring at her blankly with shock imprinted on his face.

"Why would you want me when someone else did that to me... on top of that, the person you hated the most did the worst to me? You would never want to look at an impure girl twice so I left. I didn't have any choice. I didn't want to leave but I had to because I couldn't do anything to protect myself from him. He destroyed me. I didn't know how to face you so I left!" She shrieked as she broke into tears.

"Those six years were awful without you" she said as she wrapped her arms around herself tightly.

"I didn't want you to hate me, but you do anyway so it's all over for me. Now I'll never be able to look into your eyes, I'm sorry" she looked at his stoned body and dragged herself towards the exit door. She unlocked the door with trembling hands and ran out of his range as speedily as she could.

"She's been rapped? That bastard touched my Kyoko? She left because she thought I would hate her? Where did that thought come from in her mind? I would never hate her. Never Ever! I thought she left me because of Fuwa, how wrong I was, she left because of me. It's all because of my stupid rule of heart. She tortured herself to save me. She really loved me so much and she still does" The reality was like a slap across his face.

Ren came out of his shock state after several minutes and looked around to find himself alone in the room.

Panicking, he ran out of the room stumbling on his way.

He ran as fast as he could and searched the whole LME building but Kyoko was nowhere to be found. She was gone.

Devastated, guilty and overwhelmed with self loathing, Ren looked here and there in a hope to catch a glimpse of her but she wasn't there anymore.

Feeling frustrated, Ren took out his phone and sent a quick text to President.

"I know the truth now. I am going to find her. Please clear my schedule for today and tomorrow. I'll explain everything to you later" -Ren

throwing his phone back into his pocket, Ren took larger steps and walked towards the LME parking lot.

"Where she might have gone? I should go and check Daruma-ya first"

"I don't hate you Kyoko, I can never hate my beloved princess. How can you ever think that? The one who's despicable is that bastard not you. I swear I'll kill him for violating you. But first I have the obligation to wipe away your tears and bring back your happiness then I'll deal with that low life scum! He'd regret his birth for misguiding me and making you suffer"

Ren got into his car and drove away.