Hello everyone! So, I just want to let you know how happy I am to see your fervent responses about the characters I created. It's nice to see people react to them exactly the way I had hoped for. LOL. Anyway, I hope you like this next installment as the others. Please Read and Review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.
"Good evening, Tokyo City!" Candace greeted eagerly into the camera. "We're here live on the red carpet premiere of the most-anticipated movie of the year FUGITIVE, the action-packed thriller directed and written by Director Hanata Kenji! My goodness, do you hear that roar behind me? It's just crazy down here! Can you believe how many people showed up, Kim?"
Shaking her head in disbelief, the other host said into her large microphone, "This place is jam-packed, Candace! Practically anybody who's anybody showed up. And considering the way they look, this is no casual event."
"I hope I'm not under-dressed," Candace said worriedly as she looked down at her silver, sequined dress.
Kim shook her head, reassuring with a nonchalant wave of her hand, "You look great, Candace. There's no need to worry at all."
"Well, I absolutely adore your red gown, Kim. You definitely belong on this carpet."
"And speaking of belonging on the red carpet," the brunette said with a merry laugh, "have you noticed that a certain someone is missing, Candace?"
Curious, the blonde host scanned her blue eyes down the long rows of celebrities, fans, and reporters, replying in a slow voice, "You're totally right, Kim. It seems that the main star hasn't shown up yet."
"But then again," Candace added with a shrug, "maybe he's just being fashionably late."
Kim pouted and complained, "Well, I hope he gets here soon. His fans—and not to mention myself—are starting to get antsy. "
Candace laughed. "He's probably coming any minute—"
And before the last word could escape her ruby lips, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the crowd as the camera lights from the paparazzi flashed like lightning. Everyone urgently tried to push their way down towards the end of the carpet, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person who had just arrived. It was almost like a tidal wave of movement that stretched on for miles.
Excitedly turning back to the camera beside her, Kim shouted with large, anticipating eyes, "FOR THOSE AT HOME, IT SEEMS THAT A WHITE STRETCH LIMO HAS JUST PULLED UP! I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHO THAT IS!"
The frantic cries continued, filling the air with nothing but pure excitement and elation. Even the hosts were jumping up and down as the fans and reporters screamed his name like a mantra.
And there, smiling and waving politely at each person he met eyes with, Ren slowly walked down the long carpet with his co-stars surrounding him.
Nearly every person within a twenty feet radius fainted at the sight of his flawless face. He easily stood out from the crowd, pulling everyone's attention to him whether they liked it or not. His brown eyes were soft, but his smile was as bright as the lights that flashed around him. It was amazing how gracefully he walked down the runway, unfazed by the tumultuous shouts and cameras desperate to get a glimpse of his face.
"REN-KUN!" Kim yelled frantically, waving her hand back and forth like a hyper-speed pendulum. "OVER HERE!"
Luckily for her, the tall actor was close enough to see her eager movement and with a tiny bow of his head, fluidly made his way over to the edge.
"Hello Kim," Ren greeted politely. "And good evening, Candace."
Touched and more than happy that he remembered both of their names, the hosts said simultaneously, "HI REN-KUN! You look amazing!"
He chuckled and shook his head. "I think I pale in comparison to the both of you."
The girls giggled.
"Always modest, aren't you, Ren-kun?" Kim teased, her heart all a-flutter at his compliment.
"It isn't modesty when it's the truth," Ren answered with a sweet smile.
Leaning in closer to get a better look, Candace asked enthusiastically, "So tell us who you are wearing, Ren-kun. Is that Armandy I see?"
His eyes widen in positive surprise as he murmured, "You're absolutely right. Wow Candace, that's amazing. How did you know?"
She giggled and replied, "Would you wear anything less? It looks like the tux was made for you, Ren-kun."
"Thank you," Ren answered a tip of his head. "I'm very lucky to wear something from such an incredible designer."
"And are you excited for today, Ren-kun?" Kim asked. "The premiere is finally here!"
He laughed and nodded. "I am. I can hardly wait to sit down with everyone to see the movie."
"Is this the first time you will be watching it?" Candace asked with curious eyes.
"Yes, as a cast, we all decided to go through the first-time experience with everyone else."
"So do you think you will be happy with the final result?" Kim inquired, positioning the microphone closer to his mouth as his fans began to scream even louder.
"I think I will be," Ren replied thoughtfully. "Director Hanata gave us such clear instructions while filming that it was impossible to mess up. He's certainly the mastermind behind the film and the success of this production belongs solely to him."
"Oh, I don't know about that, Ren-kun," Candace disagreed with a playful wag of her finger.
"I agree; I heard you were quite the force while filming," Kim added. "Word around the block says that you completely dominated the set."
Ren chuckled, countering in an unaffected voice, "I wouldn't credit myself for that, but rather how the plot was written. It's hard to be passive on set when you play a character who knows how to command a room so easily. I only humbly carried out my role's written actions."
"Well, from the looks of the trailer, this movie looks like nothing short of a winner," Candace complimented with a thumbs-up sign.
Kim nodded with a happy smile.
But then remembering something important, she suddenly added with a curious gaze, "Although I can't help, but notice the fact that you're not sharing this wonderful achievement with someone, Ren-kun. Where in the world is your beautiful wife?"
Unable to suppress the flicker of emotion that rose from within him, Ren answered in an unintentional gloomy voice, "Kyoko is unfortunately out of the country on business and couldn't make it this evening."
The corners of Candace's lips naturally turned downward as she stared into his face. It was so clear how hurt and disappointed he was that it was just impossible for her to ignore it.
So with sympathetic eyes, she asked softly, "You really miss her, don't you?"
He nodded. "This is the longest time we've ever been separated from one another," Ren murmured, flashing a tiny smile in hopes to lighten the mood. "It gets harder and harder everyday for me. I'm barely hanging on by a thread."
Heart-broken by his obvious sincerity, Kim couldn't help but add, "I'm sure she feels the same way, Ren-kun. She must be dying to be here."
He smiled. "I know I'm dying to see her."
But before the hosts could say another word to reassure the young actor, a female voice suddenly called from behind, "REN!"
They all turned around and saw Yukari walking towards them, wearing a green, strapless dress that hit her right at the knees. With her dark braided to the side, the actress casually placed her hand upon Ren's arm and said, "I've been looking all over for you! The cast was starting to get worried!"
"Okamoto Yukari!" Candace exclaimed with surprise. "I didn't know you were here already!"
Laughing, she answered with a flirty flip of her hair, "Well of course! I arrived here with Ren, didn't I? I've just been a little busy with the reporters down there. They're like sharks! Once they get their teeth in you, they won't let you go."
"Wait, you came with Ren-kun?" Kim asked in alarm.
"The main cast came together," Ren smoothly explained before Yukari could respond, whose smile seemed to tighten as soon as the answer left his lips.
"Oh I see," Candace said with a nod. "So Yukari-san, considering you play Ren-kun's love interest in the movie, did you enjoy acting with him?"
Yukari smiled widely and replied, "Oh my gosh, who wouldn't? I could just about stare at his face all day."
Ren shook his head warily with a sheepish smile as Kim said, "Well, I guess you're one of the lucky few who can. You must have been devastated when the film ended."
"Of course," Yukari answered with an exaggerated pout. "But I'm sure Ren and I will meet each other again some time in the near future."
Kim and Candace froze.
They had no idea if Ren had noticed it or not, but they knew in an instant that Yukari's statement was clearly more complicated than it seemed. There was just no denying it. She meant something so much more.
And without a clear reason as to why, the hosts suddenly felt this odd wave of irritation flow through their veins, especially when the actress carelessly wrapped her hand around Ren's arm. Their eyes narrowed.
Although Candace and Kim wouldn't deny the fact that they too were upset the first time around they heard that Ren had finally met someone and settled down, both girls continued to credit themselves for the start of his loving relationship with Kyoko. After all, it was because of his interview on their live show that Ren was able to confess his love in the first place. And now that both hosts have seen how incredibly happy they were together, they were now more than supportive of the couple. To put it simply, Candace and Kim almost felt like it was their duty to defend the lovebirds with everything they got.
"Ren-kun," Kim said in a sharp voice as she took a dominant step forward. "Since Kyoko-chan isn't here, would you like to say something to the camera? I'm sure wherever she is, she's probably watching the premiere right now."
Candace nodded, understanding her friend's motive immediately. "That's right! Knowing her, she wouldn't miss this in the world."
And to the hosts' great pleasure, Ren's unusually small smile brightened like the sun, causing every single girl to helplessly swoon at the sight of it. Even after all this time, they still weren't used to his charming smile or good looks. There was just no way to fight off the intense trembling in their knees. Ren had them all captivated without any effort at all.
Then smoothly turning to the large camera behind the pleased female hosts, Ren said with surprising ease, "I wish you were here, Kyoko, more than anything in the world."
Unable to suppress their love for such a romantic gesture, the actor's many fans suddenly erupted in a loud wave of "AWWW!" which only elicited a dark blush from Ren who conveniently had his eyes glued to the floor.
Smiling widely at his sweet and innocent response, Kim said with a playful and triumphant smile, "With a confession like that, I wouldn't be surprised if Kyoko-chan shows up right now. There's no way she didn't feel it."
Candace nodded, replying, "I had no idea you were such a romantic, Ren-kun."
Ren smiled.
"She brings out sides of me I never knew existed either," he answered with a charming laugh, feeling more light-hearted than he had in a while. Because from somewhere deep inside him, he felt like Kyoko had heard it too and that was the most comforting thought he had all night.
But amidst the happy banter, Yukari, who once again felt left out of another conversation, didn't have enough patience to stand still much longer. Fired up, she quickly jumped in and said in an oddly stern voice, "Ren, let's go get seated. We don't want to get in there late. Director Hanata is probably waiting for us."
Ren turned to her and nodded, realizing he spent more time lingering around this area more than he should.
So looking back at the now disappointed (and once again irked) hosts, Ren said politely, "Thank you to you both for coming here today. It means so much that you came and I hope we will get the chance to talk again soon."
"Of course, Ren-kun!" Kim answered confidently. "We need you back on the show! It hasn't been the same without you at all."
"But this time, we want Kyoko-chan on as well," Candace said with a wink. "We haven't seen her in forever and it's about time we got the both of you for a full hour."
Ren laughed. "I think she'll like that. Thank you again."
And with one sincere smile towards the both of them, he followed Yukari to the large, golden theater at the end, unaware of the hard look that was now apparent in his co-star's eyes.
"Oh my goodness!" Ami squealed, throwing her head back against the couch cushion to stare at the frozen girl seated behind her. "I can't believe he said that live!"
Kyoko had a shaky hand over her slightly open mouth, feeling the heat rush straight to her cheeks. It was like Ami said—she couldn't believe it either.
After a good-long three hour photo-shoot for this season's swimwear, the girls (and Touya) decided to head back to Kyoko's suite to hang out and watch the red carpet premiere for Ren's new movie.
Stuffed with salty snacks and iced tea, the group happily judged the many gowns they saw at the event and commented on the different actors and actresses that arrived. However, the real show started when Ren made his (whether he wanted it or not) grand entrance that stole everyone's attention.
Even now, Kyoko could feel her heartbeat increase in speed as she stared into his face. She always loved to see him in a polished tuxedo. And while gazing at him with softened eyes, Kyoko couldn't help but realize the fact that she really did fall in love with a Prince Charming. She couldn't have felt luckier.
And obviously Emi and Ami enjoyed seeing Ren as well since they squealed nonstop as he smoothly stepped into the frame and began to speak to the two interviewers.
But when Ren affectionately spoke out to Kyoko, with sincerity ringing in his every word, Kyoko could suddenly feel this intense trembling of her heart. In her four weeks that she had been here, she had never wanted to see him so much. His words shook her from head to toe, but she loved every single one of them.
"Man, Tsuruga-san really goes all out, doesn't he?" Emi said with a shake of her head as she plopped down beside Kyoko who still had her eyes glued to the television.
"But that's what I love most about him! He's never afraid to do anything!" Ami said happily.
She twisted her body around to stare at Yui who was quietly nibbling on her granola bar beside Kyoko. "What do you think?"
Yui shrugged. "I can tell he's honest and that's always good."
"Of course, he's honest!" Ami replied passionately as she got to her feet and perched herself upon the armrest. "Tsuruga-san obviously misses Kyoko and what better way to let her know than on live TV! HE'S SUCH A ROMANTIC!"
Kyoko blushed profusely and shook her head. "He's so reckless…"
"Well if you ask me, it's a little much," Touya commented with a frown as he chugged down a beer. "Way to grab more attention."
Throwing a pillow at his slightly red face, Emi replied coldly, "Look who's talking. Way to bring down the mood, idiot."
Kyoko quickly laughed and put up both of her hands, replying, "I think Touya means that Ren shouldn't say such comments on television. The last time he expressed his honest feelings, it caused an unnecessary uproar. Touya is only looking out for my best interests."
He smiled and nodded at her sweet expression. "Exactly. Only you understand me, Kyoko."
Emi snorted. "You're just lucky she's nice, Touya," she replied with a roll of her dark eyes.
"Well grabbing attention or not," Ami interrupted loudly, "it's certainly a nice sentiment so I give Tsuruga-san a heaping amount of kudos points."
"Me too!" Emi agreed, giving Ami a sturdy high-five. "And what about you, Yui?"
The quiet model raised her eyes. And in her usual emotionless voice, she replied, "As long as it lifts Kyoko's spirits, I have no complaints."
Kyoko's eyes widen. Out of all people to worry about her, she would have never thought that Yui would be the one to say it so casually. Both touched and surprised by her comment, her lips naturally curved into a small smile as she murmured softly, "Thank you, Yui-san."
She smiled back.
But suddenly, in an annoyed voice directed at the television screen, Emi said with her hands thrown exasperatedly in the air, "And there she goes again. I swear that Yukari hag is really getting on my nerves."
Ami giggled, shaking her head in disbelief. "She always knows how to kill a mood, doesn't she?" the small friend asked as she watched the actress pull Ren away from the hosts.
"Well the interview is over anyway," Touya pointed out. "As the main star, he shouldn't linger too long and make everyone else wait for him."
"WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, TOUYA?" Emi hollered angrily.
"Kyoko's of course!" he replied in a defensive voice. "But it's unnecessary to insult her like that!"
"Well if you like her so much, why not go and take her off of Tsuruga-san's back? It'll do us a whole lot of good."
"Now, now Emi, play nice," Ami said with a laugh. "I'm sure Touya doesn't mean much."
And before the angry model could reply, a knock suddenly sounded upon the double doors. Yui, who sat closest to the door, silently got up and unlatched the golden lock. A concierge politely bowed his head at her presence and said in a deep voice, "Excuse me, but I have a package for Mogami-san."
"I'll take it," Yui answered with extended hands.
The man nodded and placed a large brown envelope in her grasp. Then with one last bow of his head, he walked down the hall as Yui closed the door behind her once more.
"Kyoko, it's for you."
Curious, she got to her knees and took the package out of Yui's hands, slowly sitting back down upon her calves once it was in her grasp. From its sturdy weight, Kyoko could tell that there wasn't just paper inside, but it contained a rather hard object as well. The top of the brown envelope did not have a sender's name. All it had was her name, the Mark Hotel address, and large red letters that spelled CONFIDENTAL.
"Who's it from?" Emi asked, looking over her shoulder.
"Not sure," Kyoko mumbled as she slipped a finger under the thick flap. "I wonder who knows to send me stuff here."
With a loud sound of paper tearing, Kyoko surprisingly pulled out a CD case and a bright golden letter. She automatically handed Emi the case while she unfolded the paper. As soon as it was fully laid open, Kyoko's eyes widened in delight as she was hit with the familiar cursive writing:
Hello Mogami-kun! (Or should I say Hizuri-kun…? *GRIN*)
I hope things have been going well in New York. I must say, not having you run around LME has made the whole company quieter for the last few weeks and I quite miss the loudness. *Chuckles* But knowing you, you must be working very hard with your new modeling career and probably haven't had a good decent break in a while. So, with the intention to lessen your fatigue, I have sent you an exclusive DVD of your husband's latest movie. (Hopefully this arrived the day of the premiere…)
Enjoy it to the max and I will see you as soon as you return!
Sincerely,
Lory
P.S. Don't forget to send some extra photos back to Japan. It will be great to use them as an example for aspiring models. *Big Smile*
Oddly choked with emotion, Kyoko smiled tenderly at the golden letter and properly folded it back to its original position. Then turning to Emi who had already opened the case, Kyoko said, "Looks like we won't be missing out from the premiere after all."
"What do you mean?" Touya asked, looking up at Kyoko.
"My boss back at home sent us a DVD for Ren's movie."
"YOU'RE KIDDING!" Ami screamed with glee as she jumped up and down. "LET ME SEE! LET ME SEE!"
Emi excitedly handed her the disc and said, "Go put it in! We HAVE to watch it! I can't believe how lucky we are!"
Laughing, Kyoko replied with a nod, "Only President Lory would be able to get his hands on something like this."
"President Lory?" Touya repeated. "I've heard of him before from Uncle. He's really eccentric, isn't he?"
"Well, he's famous for his grandiose fashion and personality, but he's also got a great judgment for talent. It was because of him I got to have a chance in show biz," Kyoko answered.
"Well we are greatly indebted to this President Lory," Ami said with a vigorous nod as she pointed a remote at the television screen that now displayed the DVD menu screen. "He couldn't have made this day any better."
So with all four girls sitting curled upon the couch and Touya at their feet, the movie began to play in the semi-dark room. Everyone had their eyes glued to the glowing set, moved and riveted to the spot. From the very first scene, not a single sound came from the small audience. They were locked in complete awe, wonder, and suspense during the whole movie. It was better than any of them had expected. FUGITIVE was definitely a winner.
Ren, who played an escaped convict, was so intense that even Kyoko could feel shivers run down her spine every time he was in a scene. Although she had witnessed him playing his most violent character BJ in person before, she could never seem to get used to seeing him so blood-thirsty. But her favorite moments in the movie was seeing the slow change within his eyes as his character came to enjoy the simple joys of being free and loved. It only made Kyoko understand that much more how her husband had changed as he finally forgave the mistakes of his past.
However, this time around, there was another feeling that flowed through Kyoko's veins as she watched his movie—a feeling that she didn't particularly like.
FUGITIVE was certainly not the first film of Ren's that had romance. Ever since his successful role in Dark Moon, Ren was easily the first candidate chosen for any romantic character and Kyoko was more than aware that any movie would be lucky to have somebody like him as the male protagonist. He not only played the part well, but he also easily enticed the female fans.
After watching a couple of his movies, even Kyoko began to enjoy seeing him play the man in love, especially when she can pinpoint the times when he let a little bit of himself shine through. Kyoko could always somehow relate to the movies and so it never really bothered her to see him act out a love for another woman.
But for this movie, Kyoko couldn't deny the strange knots in her stomach that tightened every time he and Yukari were together. She knew instantly why she felt this way and Kyoko couldn't have been more disappointed with herself. It was such an idiotic feeling to have, but no matter how hard she tried to dismiss it, Kyoko couldn't stop thinking about the fact that somebody else knew the texture of his lips besides her.
"Wow…" Ami suddenly murmured as the ending credits began to roll. "That…was…AWESOME!"
Emi nodded and slumped back against the couch in amazement. "It totally exceeded my expectations. I mean, did you see that fist fight? Takeishi was so damn cool!"
"And the most surprising part was that Takeishi was Tsuruga-san! I completely forgot it was him during the entire movie!"
Touya sighed heavily "I hate to admit it, but that film was pretty good."
"So you concede defeat then?" Emi asked with a smirk. "Tsuruga-san is quite the catch, isn't he?"
He didn't reply.
"Did you like the movie, Kyoko?" Yui asked quietly.
Turning to her left, Kyoko said with what she hoped was a normal smile, "I did. I'm really proud of him."
"But you know what the one downside to the movie is?" Ami said thoughtfully.
Kyoko shook her head.
"The quote unquote 'romance' scenes," the model answered with a small shudder. "Tsuruga-san was perfect as always of course, but she was so…bland."
"No kidding," Emi agreed as she popped a chip into her mouth.
"There wasn't any steam at all."
"I didn't even get the butterflies."
"Is that what you call acting?"
"I can replace her any day."
"No doubt."
Touya rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Enough already. Kyoko gets it; Yukari-san is not a match for Tsuruga-san so will you lay off of the insults?"
Emi glared. "You seem to be defending her quite a bit, Touya," she pointed out suspiciously. "Why are you so adamant about putting her in a good light?"
"I'm not. I just don't think it's fair to judge her so poorly, especially when your feelings are biased."
Emi sniffed and turned her head away. She had no voice to argue, especially when he pointed out her motive so bluntly.
And although Kyoko was more than grateful to have the support from her friends, she whole-heartedly agreed with Touya. They were certainly allowing their feelings to affect their better judgment. Yukari was a fine actress and to Kyoko, the romantic scenes were spot on. She and Ren did have chemistry on scene and it showed.
Then feeling the anxiety bubble up again, Kyoko quickly got to her feet and murmured, "I think I'm going to take a little walk."
"What?" Ami asked with alarm. "Why? What's wrong?"
"Kyoko, if this is about the movie, that woman did a horrible—!"
She shook her head in earnest and said, "No no, Emi-san. That's not it. And to be honest, I think Okamoto-san was great. I can't criticize her acting at all."
"Is that why you're leaving?" Yui asked with confused eyes.
"No, I just need a little fresh air. I've been cooped up for so long I think I really need to stretch my legs."
Touya quickly got to his feet and made a grab for his jacket. "I'll walk you, Kyoko."
She smiled and gave another shake of her head. "It's okay, Touya. I won't be long. I should be back in about 15 minutes or so. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
The girls arched an eyebrow.
"I promise; I'm fine."
"Alright then," Ami said reluctantly. "Only fifteen minutes, okay?"
Kyoko nodded, repeating, "Fifteen minutes."
Then with one last smile, Kyoko unhooked her coat from the rack and swung her purse over her shoulder. She silently closed the suite door without bothering to look at the worried guests she had left behind. It was true that she needed some air. Somehow, it felt like her lungs were straining to get even the tiniest breaths and being holed up in the room didn't help.
Once Kyoko stepped outside, wearing her sunglasses as a weak disguise to avoid any reporters, she gratefully sucked in the cool, crisp air that seemed to clear her airways. The sun had just set over the horizon so the streets weren't too crowded with people. Kyoko had already acquainted herself with the streets around the Mark Hotel so she was confident she wouldn't get lost.
Making her way towards her favorite plaza down the street, Kyoko absent-mindedly walked past the many boutiques, but she didn't really see any of them. Her mind was too busy replaying the scenes from the movie like a broken projector. Kyoko just couldn't forget every touch, every embrace, and every kiss Yukari and her husband had shared.
"NO! NO!" Kyoko thought sternly with a fervent shake of her head. "It was Takeishi and Atsuko—only Takeishi and Atsuko."
But once again, it was no use. No amount of self-persuasion was enough. So feeling weary and tired, Kyoko decided to stop by the café cart and grab a cup of coffee. She was never one for caffeinated drinks, but now she was desperate. Kyoko needed some sort of distraction.
She turned a corner and to her great disappointment saw quite a long line in front of the cashier. Kyoko glanced at her wristwatch and saw that she only had about ten minutes left before she had to go and there was no way she would make it back to her suite in time if she waited. So deciding to grab some coffee from the underground restaurant in the hotel, she quietly turned around to walk back home.
But before she could even take a single step—
"Kyoko…?"
Her blood ran cold in an instant.
She recognized the voice as soon as she heard it. She didn't even need to turn around to know. After so many years, Kyoko would never be able to forget him. He was etched into her memory like a dark cloud that could never be erased.
Yet she couldn't find the strength to walk away. Her body had moved before she could even think to stop it. With frozen amber eyes, Kyoko unwillingly turned towards the male voice behind her and felt the color completely drain from her face.
As soon as their eyes met, his name easily slipped from her lips—a name she thought she would never have to say in her life again.
"Shotaro…"
