Chapter 11

The Storm Resumes

Ren entered the office mostly knowing what he would be facing and it was not good. He was ashamed of his earlier behavior and truly believed that she would hate him for eternity. After all, she did say that he was worse than Sho. He looked up from the tile he had been examining near the doorway to find Kyoko sitting on the sofa in front of Lory's large desk. She was staring right at him. His eyes dropped back to the floor in shame as he took a seat in the chair away from her. He didn't want her to feel anymore uncomfortable than he had already made her or, as much as he was.

"I'm sorry.." He mumbled.

"Well, I think I will go speak to Ten. I think you two have some things to work out here." Lory excused himself.

Kyoko looked up in horror. Why was he leaving her alone in this? Inwardly she shook in fear, outwardly she put on a brave face and endured.

"There's some things I need to tell you." He continued in a hushed tone as he rifled through his pocket. "You remember what happened in Guam?" He asked as he removed his contacts then looked up at her.

She gasped. "You're Corn?" Her brows furrowed. This was too much right now. "Why did you lie to me? I told you how I felt about the kiss when we had dinner that night in Guam! So...that's why you laughed.. It was all a game to you! I must have looked like such an idiot, the stupid little Japanese girl. Huh, you know.. I never told anyone about the things you told me as Bo, not even about the girl you liked. And I never purposefully lied to you about it. I..It's been a lie to me my whole life. You made fun of me. How am I supposed to take that?" She closed her eyes to calm herself.

"Kyoko, I'm sorry. I didn't tell anyone who I was. I had to do it so I could reach my goal and go back home to America. The only people that know are the Boss and my parents. I had to and I didn't know it was you until you dropped your stone in the stairwell. You aren't stupid and it wasn't a game to me. I just didn't want to hurt you." He wanted her to look at him as his confession flowed out but, she only turned her face away from him as she rested her chin on her fist and closed her tear filled eyes. "I lo..."

"Please...don't say that..." she whispered in an emotionless tone as a tear escaped. "You'll be leaving soon when you've reached your goal and I will be left here while you're happy and safe in America. So, please.. don't.. say that.. I told you in Guam.. I cannot bear to have anyone else leave me again and I meant it. So.. I am begging you not to let those words escape from your lips, because if you do, it will hurt me more than you can ever imagine." Her voice was shaky and the tears were freely flowing as she rose from her seat and left with her hand wrapped tightly around the wrist that held her little bracelet. I'll be okay, everything will be alright...The pain her her chest was almost unbearable as she allowed the tears to flow freely, leaving the heaviness in the room behind her.

Lory entered his office after he heard the large doors shut to find Kuon wallowing in despair. "Well.. She's right.. That lofty goal you set for yourself definitely leaves no room for her. You have several choices at this point. I wonder what you will do." Lory mused.

"I just don't know Boss. Am I really making the right choice? I thought it was a good idea until now." He felt like he was dieing inside.

"Kuon, I can't make that decision for you. Only you know what you want. Goals change with life experience. I can't tell you what to do. You need to put a lot of thought into all of this before you go off half-cocked and make any life altering decisions." Lory lectured.

Maybe it was a spur of the moment thing when he left. He wasn't thinking clearly when he did it and now that Kyoko was in his life he was regretting this more and more. It was tearing him apart.

"I just want you to think about things. Find out exactly what's important to you, not Tsuruga Ren, but to Hizuri Kuon. Because that's the man you truly are..." Lory told him with finality in his tone.

Kuon nodded.

"Don't worry... she'll come around. I don't really think she hates you or, she wouldn't have stayed in the room to hear you out." Lory consoled him. "Now put your contacts back in and go home. I'm going to have Yashiro reschedule your day so you have time to cool off." Lory waved him away.

During Ren's Meeting With Lory

She looked to Reino with her tear-stained cheeks and her runny mascara, still crying. "Oh no..." He rushed to her and took her in his arms. She clung to him as if he were a life preserver in a stormy sea. "Shh, it's okay. Everything will be alright."

She nodded her buried face into his dark shirt.

"Is there anywhere private you can go?" He didn't think she wanted anyone to see her like this.

She nodded again and led him to the elevator with her head down, still trying to recover. With his arm wrapped around her shoulders they entered the elevator and made their way to the floor where the LoveMe room resided.

Reino was almost blinded by all of the pink in the room as he sat her on the sofa and placed her bag on the table. He grabbed a paper towel from the sink and moistened it with cold water, then gave it to her so she could wipe the tears and cool her skin. He searched through the little mini-fridge off to the side to find something to cool her eyes and quench a thirst she probably had.

"Here... this should help." He gave her a bottle of icy cold water. "Hold it right there." He moved it to her face before she opened it. It did feel good. Her mind was starting to clear, but she still looked and felt terrible.

"Mo! What the heck happened to you?" Kanae barked out.

Reino turned from his kneeling position in front of Kyoko. "She had a bad meeting with the big guy." Reino explained. This must be Kotonami-san.

"What did that love obsessed idiot of a President do to her?" Kanae was starting to get annoyed.

"No. Wasn't him." Reino corrected.

Kanae's eyes grew wide, then narrowed. "What did that jerk do to my best friend?" She growled.

"I'm not sure, but she was really upset when she left." She pinched the sleeve of his shirt and tugged, then nodded. "Okay." He whispered. "I'll be outside, if you need me." He left the room to give her and Kanae the privacy she needed.

"I'll will make sure that man is incapable of reproduction by the time I'm through with him..." Kanae glowered.

"No Moko-san, please leave him alone." The tears started flowing again. "He just told me the truth..and I have to face it."

Kanae sat next to her and pulled her into her arms to comfort her. Then thought of something to take her mind off of things. "Is that the one that sent you all of those flowers and the music?"

Kyoko nodded and slowly a smile crept across her lips as she thought of the beautiful songs he sang to her.

"So. Did he buy you that bracelet too?" Kanae knew it was working.

Kyoko nodded again as she fiddled with the little fairy charm and ran her fingers over the stones. "He brought me that rose today too." She pointed to the delicate lavender rose that lay on the table next to her bag. "We have a date tonight.." Kyoko whispered.

"MO!" Kanae pushed her away by her shoulders. "Then let's fix that makeup of yours and get you cleaned up. We can't let him see you like this, it's shameful." Kanae gave her a winning smile.

"Thank you Moko-san." She told her with a small smile and a little less pain in her chest. "Thank you for being my best friend."

Kanae beamed. "Of course I am, stupid." Then hugged her.