Sleeping to Dream
Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!
Italicized texts are thoughts.
At the end of the last chapter, I should have written: "End of Chapter 9" instead of Chapter 8. I apologize if this error offended your respectable sensibilities. But given the many errors I made in the actual body of the story, well, I decided to just wing it. Hehehe
Chapter 10: That Old Rivalry
Kuon
He couldn't tell whether it was happiness or worry that had kept him from sleeping the night before. True, he was happy, truly happy for the first time in 4 long years because she had talked to him. Moreover, she said she was not angry at him and in fact, was never angry at him. And what amazed him to no end was that she did not push him away and did not run even after his ardent confession. The way she felt in his arms was more than enough to fill him with happy thoughts for a long time.
But he is still plagued with worry because he is Kuon, that lonely boy full of insecurities and he is still dealing with Kyoko, who is anything BUT ordinary. What if she suddenly changed her mind during the course of the night? What if, after sleeping on it, she realized the seriousness of his intentions and suddenly freaks out?
And so he tossed and turned – alternately feeling bliss and disquiet, ecstasy and anxiety, certainty and doubt. He got out of bed when the early morning rays of the sun told him that the most hopeful day (or probably the opposite) has finally arrived.
He was scooping ground coffee beans into his coffeemaker when he suddenly remembered what he forgot the night before.
"Shit" he cursed himself. He forgot to get her number.
He remembered a year ago, she had to deal with a stalker who somehow got a hold of her LME mobile number. He followed the incident with an almost maniacal obsession. He also remembered that she had to change her contact number as part of the action plan to deal with her stalker. This was confirmed by Lory when, against better judgment, he decided to call the president to check up on her. Lory refused to give her number to him that time, though, which was one of his failed attempts of challenging him to confront Kyoko.
He got his mobile phone from his bedside table and dialed the LME trunkline then asked to be connected to Sawara-san. Fortunately, the man's office phone was set to directly reroute incoming call to his work mobile number when he is out of office. It was still very early in the morning and the man who answered the line was clearly sleeping when his call came in.
"Hello, Sawara-san? It's me, Ren"
"Huh?" the sleepy voice on the line grumbled. Then there was a bit of fumbling and it seemed as if the phone was dropped on the floor and then picked up again. Finally, the man answered clearly: "Ren? Tsuruga Ren?"
"Yes, it's me"
"We haven't used that name in a long time…"
"I know" he chuckled in response "you can call me Kuon if that would make you more comfortable"
"Well, Ren or Kuon, doesn't matter. You still sound like you anyway" Sawara said dismissively.
"Of course. Look, I'm sorry for waking you up, Sawara-san, but I need a favor. I need to get Kyoko's mobile number. We were together at the President's place last night. She agreed for me to pick her up on the way to the photoshoot this afternoon but I forgot to ask for her current number"
"Oh. Sure, I'll send it to you as soon as we hang up. But she won't be in her apartment, you know. The filming for one of her dramas must be starting as we speak. Her call time is 6am today", the manager explained.
"I see, when can I find her then?" he asked.
"Uhh.. wait, let me recall… it's on Ginzai Park in downtown Tokyo. She'll be there until 12 or so"
"That would be perfect. I can pick her up from there and take her to lunch on the way to LME" he answered with an almost boyish delight.
"That's good. I'm glad you are available. Our Kyoko can be quite a handful. She has her own driver and bodyguard but she still insists on using public transport" the man on the other end grumbled.
He chuckled and answered: "Well, that's what makes her special, Sawara-san"
Sawara sighed. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who has constant headaches dealing with paparazzi and possible mobbing of rabid fans and petty stalkers. Imagine the old you without Yashiro-san. That's what I have to deal with every single day".
He felt the man's pain. After all, he had been worried about her every single day and for four years running.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of her"
"I know, Kuon. But do you have a car? Or will you use hers? I can give you the number of Sanosuke, her driver"
"It's fine. I borrowed one from the president"
"That's good. You two are both high profile talents now so my only advice is for you to be as discreet as possible. I'll inform Sanosuke of your plan so that he'll know that he can trust you. He can be quite protective of our Kyoko. He's the bald guy in a three-piece suit" Sawara said.
"Thank you, Sawara-san. I will get to her as discreetly as possible" he promised.
"Good. I will send you her mobile number shortly" the older man answered.
"Sorry for waking you up so early" he apologized.
"Ah. It's nothing. I've had worse wake up calls in the past. And I'm glad that you're back. She has never been the same since you left".
He hung up from the call after thanking the manager again. The last comment from Sawara made him wonder. Could it be that he's much nearer to this goal than he thinks? And for the first time in 4 years, he grinned like schoolboy, and despite the lack of sleep for two days in a row now, he whistled softly as he went through his breakfast.. of sorts.. If she would see him now, she would think that a mug of black coffee and a stale muffin would not constitute a real breakfast. Then he grinned even wider. Now he has another excuse to take her out to lunch and keep her to himself longer. It's turning out to be a much better day than he initially anticipated.
Kyoko
She is pissed. It must be because of a serious need for more sleep and relaxation. But there are other things – on of these is her show's current guest star, Kimura Senjo. Their filming had started very early. The entire episode will be filmed for 2 days. Despite getting home late last night and sleeping for only 2 hours, she was already up and about by 5 am and on set at 6. But her co-star not only arrived an hour after the call time, but the moment he entered the set, he had acted like royalty. The entire filming staff had to work double time just to get him ready, but despite everyone else's effort, the idiot had shamelessly flirted with every girl younger than 35 who were on set instead of getting to work and preparing for his role.
She was getting ready, herself and commonly, something like this would not bother her too much, then he began to pester her as well. She almost believed that he was also hitting on her, almost… but that was highly unlikely, given that she was dressed in her combat fatigues and had put on an icy glare the minute he invaded her personal space. Still, she found herself brushing off his hands away from her in between takes. It had become so uncomfortable and frustrating because she can't focus on her role with him distracting her like that. The morning had started out as completely unpleasant for everybody on set that the director called a 15 minute break by around 9:30am. She sighed in frustration and settled on her chair. She was about to utter a short silent prayer that his attention be focused on someone else for the duration of the break so she can recover her equilibrium when suddenly, his arm was draping over her shoulder.
She was just about to remove his arm away from her person and not so very gently, when she heard a familiar voice from behind.
"Oi! Who do you think you are, putting your hands on my property?" the unmistakable tenor voice said none too nicely.
Great! Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse…
Her co-star was momentarily stunned and had no choice but to look back at the person who spoke up – and seeing who it was, immediately took his hand off her.
Despite being 'rescued' by Sho (though she could have pretty much taken care of herself), she was somewhat relieved.
"That's a smart boy" Sho commented with a smirk. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'll take away my girl for a little while" then she felt his arm snaking around her torso.
He didn't have enough time to react. She suddenly executed a move she learned recently as part of her martial arts lessons. One moment, Sho had a triumphant smirk on his face and the next he had put on an ugly grimace. His expression and the fact that she had successfully pinned his arm on his back gave her quite a satisfaction.
"Kyoko, what are you doing?" Sho hissed.
"I just want to correct something, Fuwa-kun" she answered, stressing his last name "I am not your girl".
Sho, still holding on to a shred of dignity, retorted.. "Baby, don't be too shy. I'm sure that everyone will understand your obsession with me. After all, we grew up together and are now both part of showbusiness. All we have is each other.." he teased.
Then she tightened her grip and pulled his arm farther down making him squirm. Suddenly, his whole cocky demeanor disappeared. "Look, if you just let me go, we can talk alright! Don't make a scene"
"What's the problem, Fuwa-kun? Is this too much for your gentle constitution?" she teased back with a voice laced with menace.
A few snickers were heard all around. The people didn't bother to break the confrontation and just stood there mesmerized by the scene unfolding before them.
"What has gotten into you? We're in public for pete's sake!" Sho hissed in between clenched teeth.
Realizing the meaning of what he just said, she abruptly let go. It only took a few seconds for her former best friend and current rival to take advantage of this. He used his strength and height to capture her other arm, turn her around and pin her against him in a locked embrace.
Damn, that was stupid, Kyoko.
She heard her captor chuckle in triumph. He smelled her hair as a demonstration of their 'closeness' making it as if their entire confrontation was just a little quarrel between lovers.
"You're such a naughty girl, you know" he whispered to her but it was loud enough to be heard by those nearest to them.
She shivered with disgust. 6 years ago she would have given anything just to have him near her like this. But so much had changed and she longed for someone else's arms to take her.
"Let me go" she spat.
"No no. Not yet. I have to remind you of our appointment later today" Sho whispered, still teasing.
"I never agreed to that"
"You never said no"
"Let me go, Sho. Just leave me alone!" she screamed. It didn't matter if everyone else hears.
"OH baby don't say that.."
.
.
.
"Didn't she just tell you to let her go?" a deep voice from the crowd said. It was full of unconcealed menace.
That voice…
"Let her go now, punk".
End of Chapter 10
yehahaha.. I cut this chapter into 2 parts.. got to lazy typing.. XO