Sleeping to Dream
Chapter 7: And so the Walls Collapse
Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat!
Note: Same writing scheme - alternate POVs of Kyoko and Kuon. This is a very short chapter. The next ones will be longer.
Kyoko
"Onee-sama!" was the first thing she heard. But before she even heard the voice of her self-appointed little sister, her attention had been transfixed by a pair of intoxicating blue eyes.
It didn't last very long before Maria invaded her space, which effectively got her attention away from that person she most dreaded to see. She realized that Maria was looking at her sheepishly. "Anou- onee-sama..."
"What's wrong Maria-chan?" she asked, glad that her attention got shifted. But she can still feel his gaze on her.
"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you about Ren-sama. Grandfather asked me not to tell you that he'll be coming" the teenager answered.
"What makes you think I'd be angry at you? You didn't do anything wrong" she answered, brushing Maria's beautiful hair away from her face.
"Hmm... we'll, you don't seem too happy about it. And I told grandfather it's not a good idea to keep you in the dark" the girl bristled. "And he can't even greet his visitors properly!"
Despite herself, Kyoko giggled, especially when she saw the president's reaction as he hid behind one of the pseudo-bushes located in a corner of the room.
"Mo- are we going to eat or what? I'm starved" Moko-san asked with irritation. And then she faced her manager; "And you, don't just stand there. I know you want to greet that overgrown friend of yours so just get it over with"
Yashiro-san blushed and ran to greet the other visitor.
"Ren, it's good to see you man... or should I call you Kuon?" the manager greeted as the two men shook hands and patted each other's back.
"You can call me whichever. But I'm known as Kuon now so I guess that would be preferable" the blond answered with a genuine smile on his face.
"It's so weird seeing you like this" Yashiro looked up at the other man's hair "it's a wonder what a change of hair color can do".
"And don't forget his eyes! I love Ren-sama's blue eyes!" Mari exclaimed, still clutching her arm. This last remark made her turn redder than Yashiro-san. And worse, her reaction caught his attention. He fixed him with his gaze for almost an eternity until she realized Maria had led her to the table... beside him.
"I thought you two should have some time to talk. I know grandfather's all business when you had your mini-reunion yesterday" the girl said timidly. She wanted to tell Maria that the two of them don't need to talk but she couldn't find her voice.
"Thank you, Maria-chan" she heard him say before he sat down beside her and angled his tall frame towards her.
She refused to look at him directly, afraid to drown in his eyes again. Then she heard Maria giggle and Moko-san sigh with such exaggeration.
"Mo! You two need to seriously talk. This tension will give me a serious indigestion!"
He couldn't speak. He has many things to say to her, for sure. But all of them flew away when he saw her enter the room. She wore her hair away from her face, but a few strands somehow escaped. Instead of making her look unkempt, it added to the allure of the shape of her face, her slender neck and perfect collarbones. Under her cream colored cardigan, she was wearing a light blue dress reaching just above her knees, emphasizing her perfect calves. He must have looked at her with such intensity that he didn't realize he was already sitting beside the table and facing her halfway. Then he heard her softly say: "I'm hungry. Why don't we start?"
She didn't look at him again. This made his heart constrict somewhat. He began to pick on his food, not really eating, more because of nervousness rather than a sudden loss of appetite. He actually felt so alive being so near her - and actually quite hungry. He didn't notice the others looking at the two of them curiously, waiting for someone to speak up. He didn't notice that Maria kept herself from conversation. Even when the president sat beside him, his long ears flopping near his face, he was still oblivious.
It was the sudden shift in the temperature that finally got him to pay attention. Someone... or something beside him, some dark entity, muttered darkly... "and who was the person who told me that actors should take care of their bodies by eating properly...?"
She must be referring to him.
Then he saw her eyes shift and look at him. And then he suddenly found himself without chopsticks, the entity having taken them from him. The same entity also reached for his rice bowl and slowly, deliberately, cut a portion of meat and offered it to him.
"Eat" the entity said.
He opened his mouth without hesitation and took everything in one bite.
It did not stop until he had finished a whole bowl of rice. When he finally took his last bite, the entity stiffly put the utensils on the table and scrambled away.
"OhKami-samaIamSoDEAD!" the Kyoko inside screamed at her. But of course this was after the blond man finished the rest of his food. The Kyoko outside just could not let her former senpai starve himself. Especially that he already looked quite ill. Her on point and extremely keen senses immediately noticed the dark smudges under his eyes which, aside from their startling blue-ness are also bloodshot. His complexion was also a bit pasty and gray. She was so worried AND annoyed that he did not have enough will to actually put something inside his stomach, despite his obvious illness. He has truly gotten worse! Worse than when he was with Yashiro-san!
And so she berated herself as she finished the rest of her meal in stiff silence, after having ensured that the man had properly stuffed himself with nutrients and calories. She was so detached to her surroundings that it only dawned upon her that the others have agreed that she will be sent home in one of the president's luxury cars with Kuon on the wheel while Moko-san and Yashiro-san will swing by the LME building to get some new contracts that the her bestfriend will need to sign a.s.a.p., until she was actually inside the vehicle and Maria was already saying goodbye through the open passenger window.
"Goodnight onee-sama! Goodnight Ren-sama! I'm glad you two are together again!" the young teen exclaimed as she stood beside her grandfather who was still in his bunny costume.
Her grandfather whispered to her ear and she uttered a small 'eeeep!" before running away abruptly. Her grandfather chuckled with amusement.
"Don't mind her. She's just expecting a call from a young Master Eusugi*. Though she kept denying they are dating" Lory commented.
"Grandfather…!" Maria warned as she ran to the stairs of the mansion.
"Oh well, drive safe, Kuon. And you take care of our dear Kyoko"
"Thanks Boss. I will" her driver answered.
She watched the whole exchange as if she's watching a dream unfold. Then the window on her side of the car crawled shut and the vehicle began moving.
She looked at her companion who was concentrating on maneuvering through the circular driveway leading to the mansion gate. Only then did she realize that she is doomed.
And she did the only thing she was capable of doing at that moment…
...
"I'm so sorry Tsuruga-saaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn!"
End of Chapter 7
Note: I've actually written up to Chapter 12. They just need a little bit of editing. Let's hope I'll get around to doing that and overcome my habitual laziness. (-_-)
