Chapter 11

T -4 Days & Counting

Haaahhh, she finally had a day to relax, decompress and unwind. She had to work over the weekend like a dog and now it was her day off. She spent the morning at school. Turned in all of her work and picked up her final assignments before her tests next month. She was able to have tea with Maria. Chiori had stopped in and they had the chance to catch up. Finally, she was able to have the rest of the afternoon with Kanae. Which would be spent as a spa day.

"Ahhhh, remind me to thank Takarada-san for this." She moaned in pleasure as her masseuse kneaded out the knots that were in her back.

Kyoko sighed in contentment. "I think I'll ask them where they get their candles before we leave. My headache is finally gone."

"So, did you talk to Ren?" Kanae asked relaxed, using his given name so that no one would be aware of who they were discussing.

Kyoko gave a little cough. "Yeah..." She blushed a little.

"So?... How did he take it?" Kanae prodded.

Kyoko smiled softly. "You were right. He told me the same thing you did."

"And?..." Kanae pressed a little more.

Kyoko sighed. "You were right about everything! Okay? I give up. Just... just help me not screw it up." Kyoko groaned.

Kanae laughed. "What? Did he tell you himself?" Not expecting an answer.

Kyoko rolled over for the masseuse so she could massage her legs, arms and feet properly. "Technically, he's already told me twice."

Kanae sprung up, only to be pushed back down. "Ah, Mo! What do you mean he already told you? When?"

"Well... You remember that special assignment that Takarada-san gave us in the Spring?" Kyoko said sheepishly.

"Yes?..." Kanae asked cautiously.

"Well... he actually told me he loved me twice during that time... but I kind of thought, at the time, he didn't mean it." She groaned.

"What the heck, Kyoko? Why would he say something like that and not mean it?" Kanae scolded.

Kyoko groaned. "I don't know... I was being stupid then. I know he meant it now. It's just, I thought he was in character when he said it and just blew it off." Kyoko explained in a whine.

"So it was for a script?" Kanae tried to clarify.

"No... it was unscripted." Kyoko told her.

They were both completely relaxed and led to a wonderful sauna. "So, am I allowed to know about your Dangerous Mission? Now that I know it involved Ren?"

Kyoko shook her head. "No... I had to sign an NDA. I can tell you in a few months though, but not now."

Kanae understood. It was most likely for a movie and Kyoko couldn't say anything about it. "I get it." She leaned back on the bench and enjoyed the warmth and the steam. "So, what do you plan on doing about this?"

Kyoko laid down on the opposite bench and covered her eyes with her forearm, then sighed. "I really don't know what I'm going to do about this. I know that I don't want to mislead my date on Saturday, so I am going to tell him I'm not interested. I guess I'll keep going out with Ren until something happens." She told her.

"Mo, why don't you just tell him how you feel and get it over with?" Kanae told her in exasperation.

Kyoko peeked from behind her arm. "Moko-san, I will never be the one to do that again. I don't want to make the same mistakes I made before by pouring my heart out and having it thrown back at me. Yes, I do love him, but I'm not going to throw myself at him. I just can't do that again. Can't leave myself vulnerable like that again. It's just asking to be taken advantage of." She explained.

Kanae sighed. "I guess I can understand what you mean. However, I wouldn't make him wait too long. A person can only go so long without a positive response, before they just give up and decide to move on." Kanae warned.

"We went to lunch together yesterday..." Kyoko told her as she glanced at her from under her forearm.

"So you said." Kanae said dryly with her head back and eyes still closed.

"Um... I-I flirted with him." Kyoko told her nervously.

Kanae's eyes popped open and she sat up. "Y-You flirted with him?

Kyoko sat up and blushed, remembering the light touches and extra smiles she afforded him and nodded. "Just like you suggested."

Kanae laughed. "Well? What happened?"

Kyoko blushed again. "Um... He did the same and he called me this morning to find out how my morning was. He wanted to know if we can have dinner together."

"And?" Kanae asked.

"I told him yes. We're having dinner together at seven." Kyoko told her.

Kanae jumped up and grabbed Kyoko's hand, pulling her to the private salon. "We need to get you ready!"

She was dressed as casually as she had allowed herself lately, but she still took his breath away. He still would attest to the fact that it was indeed possible for one's heart to race and stop at the same time. It was a warm night so she had decided to wear a short, form-fitting, light-blue, halter-dress, with a light, contrasting shawl and grey peep-toed pumps with a bow on top. She had kept her makeup light, but her eyes stood out and he almost couldn't look away. Her hair was swept up in a twist with little tendrils, lightly brushing her neck. The same neck that he fought every moment he was with her, not to firmly attach his mouth to and enjoy the taste.

"You look very nice this evening, Mogami-san." He smiled brightly as he opened the car door and helped her in.

She blushed a little and smiled. "Thank you Tsuruga-san..." She looked up at him before he closed the car door. "You can call me Kyoko." She murmured, but he definitely heard it.

He felt his heart stop again and nodded. "And you can call me Ren." He told her before he shut her door gently and rushed to enter the car on his side to take her to their dinner destination.

Neither of the pair mentioned that their dinner was, what it was. It was a date and they both knew it. It felt like a date. It had the atmosphere of a date. They were doing date things, like talking, eating, laughing and yes, flirting.

It took everything he had not to confess everything to her. Tell her he was her "fairy" Corn, that he was Kuon Hizuri, why he had denied his identity and that he loved her more than life itself, but he could wait. They both had a little time. He would tell her he loved her soon, but for now he was just going to enjoy this wonderful feeling that was washing over him because of her.

She had the best time. She never dreamed that she would feel so completely relaxed around him, before they started actually talking, sharing anecdotes and flirting. It came so naturally, like they had been close to each other for years. Well, technically they did know each other for years. She glanced up at him with a small smile as she nibbled on her meal. They both giggled like teen-agers when their eyes met.

By the end of the evening when he had finally brought her home, they decided to take a short stroll in the park nearby and just prolong the relaxing, lovely evening that they had. When they finally came to the end of the evening, they were hand in hand standing before the back entrance of the Darumaya.

"I had a really nice time tonight." She stood before him blushing.

"I did too. Thank you for having dinner with me tonight. We should do this again soon." He smiled softly at her.

She blushed a little more brightly and nodded. "I would like that. Umm..." She quickly pulled him down and kissed his cheek then disappeared behind the door. "Thank you!"

She left him standing in the alley, stunned, frozen, happy and bewildered at what had just happened. Did she actually kiss... me? His cheek still tingled from the feeling as his fingers covered the little smudge of lipstick that he now swore not to wash... ever... again...