The Course of Nature – ch11
A/N: I'm REALLY very sorry for the delay *bows*. I didn't think I'd be gone this long. I'll make it up to you guys soon. For now, here's a chapter. Oh, and please forgive any mistakes I might have committed. I didn't have time to proofread, you see.
Enjoy! :D
Kyoko was in the locker room of the Love Me section, and was about to change, when she heard the door to the room opening and then was slammed closed. Kyoko turned around and brightened.
"Moko-saaaaaan!" she hurriedly finished changing and went to hug her best friend.
"MO!" Kanae said, as she tried to pry off Kyoko from her arm. Then, she noticed something different. 'Hm… I sense something wrong, or is that right?' she looked at Kyoko more closely. 'Wasn't she all gloomy before, since she was avoiding Tsuru –'. She stopped her thoughts, and then grinned knowingly at Kyoko.
Kyoko, on the other hand, looked at her friend, confused. "Moko-san?"
Kanae dragged Kyoko to the bench in the room, and made her sit down, as she sat beside her. "Now, tell me what happened yesterday," she said as she crossed her arms in front of her and smiled albeit evilly.
Kyoko blushed and looked down. "Well… I cooked for him, just like you advised."
"And? What was his reaction when he saw you?"
"He was surprised." She giggled, "And I didn't know what to say when he asked me why I was there, so I just used Yashiro-san as an excuse." She looked down, guilty.
"So you confessed to him at his apartment?" Kanae asked.
"No. I, kind of, confessed to him in his car when he parked just outside Daruma-ya." She blushed scarlet as she remembered what she did.
'Hmm… Suspicious.' "So, how did you confess?"
"Er, well, I… kissed him…"
Kanae looked wide eyed at Kyoko's brave action. Then, suddenly, she started shaking, and she covered her mouth with her hand, and then she bent down, still shaking.
Kyoko looked worriedly at her friend. "What's wrong, Moko-san?" she placed her hand on Kanae's shoulder, only to be surprised at her reaction.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA" Kanae couldn't hold it in any longer. She was laughing so hard that tears started to appear on her eyes. "I…. can't… believe… you did THAT!" she said between laughs. "HAHA… I.. can't… imagine… Tsuruga-san's… reaction!" she still continued to laugh as Kyoko blushed more.
"MOKO-SAN! It's your fault!" Kyoko cried out, embarrassed. "You didn't tell me what to do, specifically, and I panicked, so I just k-k-kissed him."
Kanae's laughs now turned into giggles. "Still, I didn't expect you to be so…" she laughed again.
"MOKO-SAN! STOP IT!" Kyoko cried and tried to cover Kanae's mouth, but failed.
"Alright. Alright." She cleared her throat, and smiled at her friend. "Now, are you going to tell the press about this?"
Kyoko breathed a sigh of relief as her friend controlled her laughter. 'Whew! I couldn't handle the embarrassment!' "Well, yes. I told Ren that I wouldn't want to hide our relationship, since they're going to find out sooner or later." She smiled.
"Oh. I see your point. I guess it's a good decision." Moko walked to her locker and also started to change. "Anyway, I think your boyfriendis somewhere in the building. I ran into him a while ago."
Kyoko brightened. "Really?"
Kanae sighed. "Yep, and I think he's headed here right now." They both heard a knock at the door. "I think that's him. You can go ahead." She smiled.
Kyoko smiled back. "Arigatou, Moko-san." She went to the door, and sure enough, Ren was standing there, with his genuine smile.
"Good morning, Kyoko."
"Good morning, Ren" she saw Yashiro behind him, so greeted him as well. "Yashiro-san." She smiled, and she saw the manager just grin slyly at her. She looked questioningly at Ren.
He sighed, knowing what she was talking about. He just shook his head, and bent down to kiss her. "Don't mind it. He's been like that since this morning, right after he found out."
Kyoko blushed at Ren's sudden kiss, not that she didn't like it, though. "O-oh." She stuttered. "So, what are you doing here?" she asked, and smiled.
"Well, I figured we should talk to the president about what we're planning to tell the press," he sighed. "As much as I want to hide this from him." He mumbled.
"Alright! Let's go, then." Kyoko smiled happily, reached for Ren's hand and dragged him towards the elevator, with Yashiro, still in his fan girl mode, towing.
"THAT'S GREAT MOGAMI-KUN, REN! I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH!" Lory, as expected, rejoiced over this fact. "I didn't think you had it in you, Ren. Congratulations! You, too, Mogami-kun!" he smiled brightly, and started to do the 'happy dance' with Yashiro, who was also very much high at the moment.
'I knew he'd react like this.' Ren thought, exasperated. "Yes, well, thank you. Anyway – "
"Yes, yes. I know why you're here, but first." Lory interrupted and pulled out a phone. "I'll tell Kuu about this." He grinned.
Ren's eyebrow twitched, and he smiled his fake smile, as he tried to grab the phone from the president's hand. "I don't think that's necessary, president. I think that we should be the one to tell him. Right, Kyoko?"
Kyoko, who was sitting beside Ren, just nodded her head. 'I wouldn't want Tou-san to know about it yet. I think it's best that both Ren and me tell him, instead.'
Lory just sighed, and gave up. 'Well, I can always call him AFTER they leave my office.' He grinned inwardly. He cleared his throat and went back to business, "So, you wouldn't want your relationship to be hidden under wraps?"
The couple nodded.
"Very well; I understand your decision. I'll arrange it, and then I'll call you with the details later." He smiled. "Now both of you go ahead and spend time together for the rest of the day." He ushered them out of the door. "Yashiro-san and I will take care of this, no need to worry."
Kyoko blushed, but didn't struggle. So the couple left LME, leaving Lory and Yashiro in the office.
The first thing Lory did was to grab his phone and dial a number. "Hello, Kuu? I have great news… " he grinned.
"Good morning Japan!" a reporter happily said. At her back, you can spot a lot of people anticipating something, with cameras, recorders, pens, papers, etc.
"Today we are at a press conference at LME, together with rising actress Mogami Kyoko, and the very much popular Tsuruga Ren. People are now getting excited and very curious on the reason for this sudden call, for it seems that they have an announcement to make. Also, we just heard word that as we are speaking, the both of them are heading their way here…" the reporter paused and listened to her earpiece. She grinned. "Oh, and it seems that they were seen getting out from the same car holding hands…" she listened again, and she smiled.
"Ah… it looks like it will start soon." The reporter turned around and the camera focused at front where both Ren and Kyoko are standing.
"Are you ready, Kyoko?" Ren asked, squeezing her hand tighter.
Kyoko took a deep breath, and smiled. "Yep! Ready as ever!"
Ren smiled in return. "Alright." Then he faced the group of reporters and held the microphone.
"Good morning everyone. We are glad that you were able to attend today. We appreciate it a lot." He smiled and glanced at Kyoko, who nodded, and then continued. "We, Kyoko and I, have a very important announcement to make….."
"Moshi moshi?"
The person he was talking to, spoke.
"Oh, is that so? Well, then I guess I have to prepare as well. Thank you for informing me."
He listened to the person speaking on the other line again, smiled, and closed the phone.
Kyoko sighed, relieved. "I'm glad that's over. Although, I'm kind of worried that reporters would disrupt the business at Daruma-ya if they found out that I was also living there." She looked at Ren, who was driving Kyoko home after the hectic day.
Ren smiled. "Well, if you're that worried, you can move in to my apartment. I won't mind."
"Hmmm… yes, that does sound very tempting." She grinned impishly. "But I think I should stay with okami-san and taisho for a while, since the press hasn't found out about it yet. Besides, I wouldn't want to be a burden to you."
Ren sighed, "I really don't mind. It actually helps me more, since I'm sure that you'll be safe in my apartment, with the tight security." He glanced at Kyoko, "Can't you at least think about it?" he asked, with searching and pleading eyes.
Kyoko felt a bit annoyed at the tactic he was using, but couldn't help but give in. She sighed, "Fine. I'll think about it, but for now, I'll stay here."
They arrived at the Daruma-ya, and Kyoko gave Ren a peck on the lips before she got out of the car, and stood in front of the door until Ren's car was out of site.
'I feel so good.' Ren thought. 'I still can't believe that Kyoko's mine, and that I'm hers.' He smiled, but then remembered something. 'I still haven't told her about my past, though. And as much as I don't want to keep any secrets from her, I still can't help but feel scared that she might leave me.' He sighed. 'Still, I should trust her, just like how she trusted me to take care of her heart.'
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a scream of pain from the direction of the Daruma-ya.
'KYOKO!' he screamed at his mind, feeling troubled.
He immediately slammed on the breaks, and looked at his side mirror. He turned the car around, and raced through to get to the restaurant. When he reached it, from his peripheral vision, he saw a car from afar driving away, but took no notice of it, for he thought that it was just some random passerby. 'Is the stalker back? Please be safe, Kyoko.' Ren started to panic, until he reached the front doorstep of the Daruma-ya.
His blood turned cold.
Kyoko's things were scattered on the floor with shards of glass, covered with blood. Kyoko's blood. He was suddenly filled with anger and rage. 'WHO DID THIS?' He looked around and tried to see if Kyoko was still around the area. He ran around the neighborhood, looking for leads on where the kidnapper might have taken Kyoko.
Then it hit him. 'The car!' He was about to get to his car, when he noticed something within the pile of Kyoko's things.
A lot of papers were soaked with blood, but there was one specific card that caught his eye. It contained a message written with bloody fingers. After Ren read the message and observed the card, he couldn't contain his anger any longer, so he took the only lead he could find, stuffed Kyoko's things at the backseat of his car and drove off, his thoughts filled with the message on the card.
'HELP' ' M.T.'
And it was written on the business card of Miyabe Takao.
Err.. yeah.. I'm cruel.. another cliffhanger.. XD.. I'll try to upload soon!
Please review! :D:D