Hi All –The progress is slower than molasses in January going uphill lol! Well I'm as nervous as Kyoko to move forward so it's taking longer than I thought to even get these guys actually rehearsing yet. I don't know but I think neither of them would want to rush into the unknown with their previous history working together alone. Reading about Kyoko and her innocence and goofy awkward gaucheness in the early parts of the story were bad enough and I don't think that is the end of her idiocy. Here is my take on how things could transpire (if she were a real girl)!

Voodoo Curse

Chapter 4

Ren and Kyoko dragged out dinner as long as possible for different reasons. Ren wanted the evening to last longer and Kyoko stalled to avoid the close proximity she would have to bear when the rehearsing began. As the clock on the kitchen wall struck 7pm Ren got up and cleared the counter while Kyoko filled the sink to wash the dishes.

"You don't have to do that, Kyoko. I do have a dishwasher."

"I know but they never do a proper job and the dishes will just sit there calling to me to do them! It's good to keep a tidy kitchen. It's always neat in here Tsuruga-san, it doesn't look as if you eat here often since your fridge is almost empty every time I come here." There was no helping it, she was just rattling off any conversation to delay the inevitable.

"You're right, I rarely eat here. I'm on set a lot and take my meals at the craft service. I'm never hungry when I get home late."

"Honestly, Tsuruga-san, I don't understand how you can function with so little food! Do you realize it contributes to depression and no energy? It becomes a vicious cycle. I wonder that you haven't physically crashed. I guess that very first cold you had was an indicator that you are not taking care of yourself."

"You could be right. I'm glad that you brought me back to health Mogami –san, even if it was only for your self-satisfaction." Ren couldn't resist the dig. He was still harbouring resentment that she didn't look after him for his sake.

Kyoko stiffened defensively. "Yes, I do take pride in my work, but it was my pleasure to look after you, Tsuruga-san! You may not believe me now after all this time. With your case I also took both your health and reputation into consideration. I tried really hard to balance the two but I didn't realize how much stamina you had with your acting! I was worried when you continued on with such a high fever, but you wouldn't let me convince you to take a day off."

Ren was taken by surprise by her admission but disguised it well. He shifted uncomfortably and promptly closed the subject. "Well that was a long time ago. I hope you forgive me for taking off points. It was mean spirited of me and I apologise." He humbly conceded.

Kyoko was struck dumb. "Wow! Even if it was in a round-about way he finally admitted that he lied to me! He really did take off 10 points because he was mad at me! I knew it! " She crowed to herself, although it felt like a hollow victory. She then began to wonder if the infinite points he had given her for helping him as Cain Heel while in Guam were just a compensatory measure.

Kyoko could not conjure up any more diversions to gain more time. She imagined it must be like walking the Green Mile without knowing the method of execution. She wiped her clammy hands down her sides with a racing heart. She was almost hyperventilating. How did it come to this? Hopelessly in love but unable to communicate this to him because it was unrequited, she had to draw on her actual love but pretend that it wasn't real in order to prevent him from discovering the truth. If it was happening to anybody but her she would think it laughable. What a double paradox! Just thinking about it confused her. How was she to pull it off? She glanced out the living room sliding doors which lead to the spacious balcony while trying to gather her courage. Ah! A last branch to grasp at before falling off the cliff!

"Oh! Tsuruga-san, I've never seen the view from your apartment. Can we go outside for a minute before we start rehearsal? Then we can look over the script and you can help me with my characterization."

Maybe she could just jump off the balcony like Corn– no it was impossible from the 20th floor without wings!

Leaning against the balcony, Kyoko's, expression was of awe and appreciation of the spectacular view. The molten sunset of Tokyo's cityscape was slowly darkening to a deep bronze and the clouds hugging the horizon were gilded bright gold. The early summer evening wasn't too chilly and there was enough of a breeze to keep the air fresh. Ren stepped up beside her and also leaned forward on the railing, his arms folded over one another with his chin resting on them. He gazed off into the distance with eyes unfocused.

The setting sun reflected off of her silhouette giving her a golden aura and Kyoko closed her eyes, smiled and inhaled in deep satisfaction. "Wow! Tsuruga-san, I've never seen anything more breathtaking!"

It had been very hard for Ren to not to take her in his arms because she had that same Cutie Honey look from their river encounter during the Dark Moon filming. Only, this time, she seemed older and more sensual although still unaware of her allure.

"I have." Ren spoke conversationally with a thoughtful expression. "I've seen an angel; a stunning woman at a cast party; the most riveting Goth Girl, who would put any professional model to shame; the most attractive traditional Japanese woman; I've also seen the cutest schoolgirl;. "And a very pretty actress standing next to me this very moment" Ren added to himself. "They were all more beautiful than this sunset!" He looked pointedly at Kyoko with the last sentence.

Ren listed all the most memorable encounters with the girl he loved; they flew over her head as she listened blankly until he mentioned the school girl. "I'm not surprised you think so!" Kyoko retorted. " You're such a playboy after all!"

Ren flinched at the verbal barb then stifled a self-conscious snort. He hoped it was too dark now for Kyoko to witness the heat radiating off his face. "So you keep saying! Where do you get that from?"

"You know they call you the co-star killer, right?" She accused. "I've watched you on set, the way you smile at your co-stars and coax them to act for you. Every time you have them mesmerized! I saw it with my own eyes on the Dark Moon set! You had Momose-san in the palm of your hand a…and when I was trying to take the part from Matsunai-san in Ring Doh she couldn't remember her lines because you had her so enthralled. You even bamboozled me while doing the tea ceremony scene!" Kyoko pouted while recalling the annoying incident. "Some of your behavior confuses people also you're so glib it's hard for me to believe, on hind-site, that there is any sincerity in it!" Kyoko knew she was running off at the mouth but she couldn't help herself. "This might sound disrespectful of you as my senpai but, Tsuruga-san, you should be careful of what you say and do to certain people, or you could seriously hurt them!" She lectured, darkly. Kyoko knew if he directed just one more of his heavenly smiles towards herself, all her grudges could not save themselves with even the most protective hazmat suits.

"Bingo! Damn it! The evil that men do really does live after them!" Ren wryly quoted to himself. "Even though she doesn't know my past, her intuition comes too damn close!"

He couldn't disinherit his silver tongue that was a genetic gift from his charming father. He also genuinely liked women, as he had a very loving mother, and compliments came easily from his lips. It wasn't that he didn't mean them but they had begun as a polite habit and there was no personal attachment to them. He used them because his mother always insisted that he be a gentleman. He didn't realize, though, that these practiced gestures together with his physical beauty, made the innocent recipients succumb to blazing infatuations which resulted in their inevitable heartbreak. His lack of awareness had led to a disastrous chain reaction beginning with the rancorous jealousy from all his male peers; his violent self defense of their verbal and physical torment; then finally ending in the tragic and untimely death of Rick. He had only awakened when, ironically, this girl in particular didn't respond to him the way all the others had. Frowning, Ren determinedly shrugged off the spiraling dark thoughts. He didn't want to dwell on the past anymore.

"Mogame-san, at a risk of being accused of changing the subject, do I have to remind you what you are here to do tonight? My body and time are now at your disposal!" Ren replied flippantly. His light words belied the negative mood created from a moment ago and as a result Kuon's Emperor of the Night made an involuntary appearance with a very predatory expression along with the verbal baiting. Kyoko recoiled at the fleeting look before it was quickly masked. That added comment didn't help at all. Ren immediately regretted his impulsive teasing.

That familiar surge of unwelcome adrenaline flooded a paling Kyoko as a moment of déjà vu, with a twist, hit her. Her mouth went dry. "Why does Ren enjoy bullying me so much? So mean!"

"I never, ever, even implied you owed me that as a favour Tsuruga-san, and I really wish you would use less innuendo with your choice of words!" She retorted.

"Where is your script? We need to analyze the story-line and flesh out our characters" Ren deftly switched to his professional mode. He desperately hoped it would last for the rest of the evening.

Note: If my spelling seems erratic remember I'm Canadian, and at least I myself am confused as to whether to spell from the British dictionary as I was taught in private school or to spell it the North American way so I do both. I'm tired of second guessing so what ever comes out in the typing is what you get - except when I'm not sure if either way is correct. The more reviews I get the more inspired I am - which wasn't the case when I started. Thank you for reading!