Author's note: here we go, the second half. I actually wrote ch 9 and 10 as one. ^^ I hope you will enjoy it!
This chapter is dedicated to all of you, who are favoriting, reviewing or just reading. Thank you! ^^
I wish you a blessed new year, full of Skip Beat chapters or other manga you like, chocolate and books (sorry, these are the things I love the most, I could only wish you the best! ^^)... and, even more, full of happiness, laughs and, of course, love! ^^
Disclaimer: same as always
Ch. 10th : Connection, part II
Ren didn't know what to do, seeing Kyoko with that horrified expression. She didn't say a word and walked around like a zombie. He tried to ask her what happened.
He saw something was off with her from the morning. When he woke her, she had a face like she was almost screaming at seeing him. He was hurt, but he didn't say anything because he would have her at his proximity for all the day. He wouldn't let her escape, this time. He was swimming in the feeling of warmth at the thought of holding her hand.
Then the tears during the filming. He was so scared he had done something wrong, but she assured him with her typical sweetness (that would be the death of him, he knew it) and he almost said the three magical words, but he was luckily interrupted.
She didn't seem to notice, like always, and he sighed in relief. But she was distracted, she kept bumping in him and in everything.
At the end of the filming he saw her bumping again, this time falling in some props. He tried to catch her, instead he fell too.
The face she had was so hilarious, he barely kept in character. She even scolded the assistant, because as Setsu she couldn't properly take care of her beloved brother. Or at last that was what he thought.
Then she reminded him they had work that evening. He honestly had forgotten, thinking at the possibilities of her handcuffed at him... but she broke his dreams, again, screaming that "No!".
She was really horrified at the thought of ruining his image, but this time he didn't think it would matter. He even thought the President would be too amused to free them from the handcuffs. He wouldn't be the only one, though. The Kimagure Guys would laugh at them for all the episode, he was sure.
He even thought of his stuffed friend. The idea of telling him "Hey, this is the girl I was talking about" while pointing at the handcuff, was too funny, but he couldn't linger his thought on that, because he didn't want to disturb her work.
But when he asked her what job was, she didn't answer. She was horrified and he didn't understand why.
Actually Kyoko was more than horrified. During the twenty minutes necessary to arrive to the studio, she thought of any possible strategy to escape the incoming doom. Because she was a fighter, she didn't accept the obvious fate she was going to face soon.
She planned thousand of different escaping routes, most of them too absurd too be put at any use.
Ren was amused by Kyoko expressions. She was mumbling something he couldn't quite catch, but he saw she passed from a "I found it!" to a "Damn!" and then again to "That's it!" to "Why me?". He was driving with an eye on her, trying to figure out what was happening.
She thought she could knock him unconscious with a chop on his head as soon as they arrived (here Ren saw her with a murderous glare towards him), she shook her head.
She thought she could try to break the cursed handcuff by opening the door of the car while it was moving and letting herself falling on the road (here Ren saw a determined look), she shook her head again.
She thought she could pray and ask to her fairies friend to help her, they would transform her in a fairy and took her in the Fairy World (Ren saw her "In LaLa land" expression), she snapped from her escape from reality when she saw Ren parking. They were arrived.
The only acceptable solution she found was to not be seen by the Inshibashi brothers. So, by the time they reached the doors of the building, she had already a perfect plan: call out Moko-san, acting as she saw her, and ask Ren if they could talk to her for a moment; then she would ask help with the handcuff to the first assistant she saw. The plan was perfect.
At last it would be, if Fate didn't decide otherwise.
As soon as they stepped inside the people Kyoko wanted to avoid with all her might called her out. They were in the hall, waiting for the great guest of that special night, the best star of the moment, Tsuruga Ren. They were waiting for him, not knowing he would arrived chained to Kyoko-chan.
When they saw the two of them coming out handcuffed, their jaw dropped and their eyes went wide. But what surprised them the most was Kyoko with a supreme horrified expression and Ren Tsuruga with an amused smile, while watching Kyoko as she was the most funny thing he ever seen.
At seeing the great Tsuruga Ren slipping out of his Cool King role (they met Ren several times and he was always composed, so they came with that nickname), they couldn't stop to wonder what on Earth Kyoko did. It was true she was weird and funny, but they didn't know she was such a good friend with Tsuruga.
They called her and they could see her transform in a statue, when she met them in the hall.
Ren chuckled at her reaction. He bow slightly his head to the hosts and said "Excuse us for this situation, we will find a way to solve everything" then Ren realized they didn't call him, but her.
Maybe Kyoko met them in the hallway other times she had to work here. By the way, she didn't answer what it was her work, yet.
"Kyoko-chan! We didn't know you were such a good friend with Trsuruga-san!" was teasing Shinichi.
"If we knew, we would ask you to convince him to participate before than tonight!" teased Yuusei
"Indeed, Kyoko-chan...what happened?" Hikaru asked, shocked by finding Kyoko handcuffed to none other than Tsuruga Ren.
Kyoko, in statue mode, tried to think of a solution, but her option were chopped by Ren himself, who asked "You know each other, Kyoko-san?"
Kyoko reaction was too slow, she couldn't stop Hikaru from saying with an innocent smile "Of
course! Kyoko is an important member of the show, after all! She is Bo"
Silence. The temperature in the hall dropped drastically. People around them started shivering.
"Really...?" Ren murmured. He didn't know what to think or do.
Maybe in a hidden part of himself, he somehow knew it.
But if she was Bo, then...he already confessed his love! He was panicking.
'If she already knew, why don't tell me anything? She rejected me...' at seeing Ren's pained expression, Kyoko snapped from her statue mode, going flat on the floor to apologize "I'm so sorry, Ren-san! Gomen, gomen, gomen! I didn't tell you because I was afraid you won't trust me anymore..."she had forgotten she was tied to him, so her excessive apologizes drew him on the floor, too.
He smiled 'It's Kyoko we are talking about. She didn't understand I was talking about her. Maybe this situation isn't bad, after all' he thought. He could use this new information about Kyoko to improve their relationship. His smile grew wider.
"Kyoko-san, I'm not angry. You don't have to apologize like this everytime you think I am. People might think I'm a scary man when I am angry"
'You are!' she shouted in her mind. Wait, he knew she knew he was scary. That meant he was teasing her. She looked up, realizing he was near her. She met his eyes. He wasn't angry...he had a strange look, like he was somehow...happy.
A cough interrupted the atmosphere between them. They looked at the source of the cough and realized, embarrassed, they forgot the Inshibashi brothers.
The brothers themselves were embarrassed by the feeling the two were showing.
"Do you mind to explain what happen, Kyoko-chan?" Shinichi asked
"Yes, sorry. Because of my carelessness, I bumped in a some props and fell. Ren-san tried to help me, but he fell too. There was a basket full of broken handcuff and, I don't know how, one of them trapped us. We didn't have time to search for a solution, so we came here" she was worried "The producer will kill me this time... how could I have been so unprofessional?" she was on the verge of tears.
Ren patted her shoulder "Kyoko-san, you don't have to apologize. It was my fault in my first place, if I didn't asked you..."
She interrupted him "Ren-san! That's not true! I was the one who gave you the permission to ask me that. And you were right about acting with one hand. It seems our practice will be tested sooner than we thought" she smiled at him, oblivious of how her words were misinterpreted by the brothers, even more shocked.
'Woah! This two... what kind of relationship have they?' thought Shinichi
'I was asking what happened just now with that extreme apologize... And his face, like he was used to her weirdness...and she didn't answer it!' was thinking Yuusei
'What on Earth they are talking about? Asking? Permission ? Practice? What?' was thinking Hikaru
Ren was saying "I'll talk to the producer. He won't blame the guest of the night"
"Ren-san! You can't do that! I won't permit it!" she was flustered
Yuusei coughed again "Kyoko-chan" she looked at him, with a frown on her face "I still don't understand what is happening. Are you and Tsuruga-san together?"
Kyoko didn't understand at first. They were obviously together "What do you mean? We come together, so of course we are together " before Yuusei could explain, Ren said "I think he is asking if we are currently working together and the answer is yes. If you don't mind, we will search the producer to explain the situation" he smile gentlemanly and Kyoko looked at him confused.
New shook her head 'Master, how stupid can you be?'
'What? What have I done now?'
'Yuusei-san was asking if you were together with Ren. Together as...'
'WHAT? Nooooooo... why everyone is thinking like that?' she was shocked
'That's a good question. Why don't you try to think the answer?' New smirked.
Ren purposely avoided their question and the Inshibashi brother weren't stupid, they could read between the lines. He didn't want them to pry.
But they couldn't help themselves to pry, especially Hikaru. What kind of special and mysterious relationship Ren and Kyoko have?
Meanwhile they met the producer, who at first glared at Kyoko, but then, seeing Ren shielding the girl, he stopped. They explained the situation again and the producer was going to call for help, when Shinichi stopped him "Producer, I had a great idea, seeing Tsuruga-san and Kyoko-chan tied like this!" he smirked at the wonder in everyone eyes "What do you think if Bo is the policeman who caught the best star of the moment?" a coir of exclamation, from surprise to amusement, answered to his suggestion.
Yuusei, who was curious to see what kind of performance the two of them would be able to do in that kind of situation, approved.
Hikaru wasn't sure, part of him would investigate their relationship, the other part didn't like to see their special bond, but at the end he could see it was a great opportunity for their program, so he accepted with reluctance.
Ren smiled "I don't mind". Everyone was now looking at Kyoko worried face. Ren reassured her, by challenging her "I can do it. What about you, Kyoko?"
Her worries dissipated in an instant. She would show him her progress. She won't disappoint him. She smiled "It won't be a problem"
The producer was surprised to see how the two of them behaved when they were together and how much trust Tsuruga-san had in Kyoko.
Doing that kind of work tied would be difficult and needed a lot of synchrony and ability. He sighed. If everyone agreed, he couldn't say anything.
The crewmen were shocked to see Kyoko and Ren handcuffed. What Kyoko didn't know was the obvious thoughts at seeing them together. Luckily Ren predicted it and was giving off an innocent aura, like "Hey, it was an accident on the set of my last movie, not what you think. I'm not the type who does this kind of stuff, right? I'm Tsuruga Ren, after all", plus Kyoko's vibes were still too innocent to be misunderstood.
But what surprised them the most was their being together. They were giving a feeling of closeness , like they were a couple.
No one ever saw Ren relaxed with his coworker, especially the girls, like when he was with Kyoko. And they never saw Kyoko pouting or blushing or scolding, like she did when she was with Ren.
The crewmen were preparing the studio, but their ears were pointing to Kyoko's dressing room (if a corner around the corridor could be called dressing room). The costume manager was saying "We have to cut a hole in the arm and cover it with a big stuffed handcuff. Kyoko-san, you have to be careful, or the hole will open too much and your arm will be revealed"
Kyoko was bowing "I'm sorry to inconvenience you like this"
Ren smiled "Yes, I'm sorry, too" the costume manager blushed and started babbling "It is... it is no inconvenience...Tsu-Tsuruga-san. If you would excuse me..." she went away, wobbling a little.
Kyoko stared at him. He asked "What?"
"You are using your playboy skill to avoid the scolding" she accused
"I don't know what are you talking about" he said innocently "You seemed convinced I play around with the girls a lot" her expression clearly indicated that was obvious, so he asked "Why you would think like that? Have you have any proof?" she nodded and he was surprised.
She explained in a "matter of fact" tone "Your whole attitude indicates you are a natural playboy and now, even if you don't play around anymore, you use your skill to avoid annoying situations" Ren could almost see the pair of glasses, like she was a professor in a class "Well, at last you know I don't play around with women"
"Of course. You become serious when you truly love someone... you don't notice the other girls" she froze, realizing what she said.
He was looking her with that strange look, again "This was the chicken who was talking, right?" he smirked at her
"So...sorry, I didn't mean to..." she was blushing
He grabbed gently the hand tied to his, while the other one caressed her cheek "Kyoko... you knew already I consider you one of my dearest friend. It wasn't that surprising for me to find out the truth"
The fact that he wasn't angry at her, moreover he was caressing her and telling her she was important for him, with that strange look in his eyes and that sweet smile on his face...it was too much to bear for Kyoko "Se-see? You are doing it again! You are truly a playb-..."
He smirked "I'm just practicing the advice a kind friend told me"
'What? He is practicing... my advice? what kind of advice...' then she remembered.
Like an old movie in black and white, in her mind she saw herself as Bo tell him 'Seduce her!'
He was practicing that advice on her? Why?
With her eyes wide, Ren could perfectly see what she was thinking, almost like she had a blackboard above her head and her thoughts were written with an invisible pen. He chuckled.
She glared at him "Reeeen!" he tried to contain his next laugh, but he failed "Reeeeen!" Mio said "You can't play with my maiden heart like that!"
He become suddenly serious and murmured "Who said I was playing..." she couldn't completely catch it, because the costume manager was back with the modified Bo's suit.
His smirk returned at full force when he saw Kyoko's difficulty at wear it "Let me help you, Kyoko" he said.
Kyoko could feel it. His presence. The Emperor was there.
"I-I'm fine. I said I can do it and I will"
"Oh, but it's my responsibility you are currently like this, I feel obliged to help you. The filming will start soon" seeing she wasn't objecting anymore thanks to his latest statement, he grabbed her on the hips.
She was on the air so suddenly, she instinctively reached for a support. The support was Ren's neck.
She looked down, meeting his eyes. There were emotions she couldn't identify, but they were so powerful and true she couldn't avert her eyes.
He gently helped her in the suit, his hands caressing her back.
She gulped a thank you and hid her red as a tomato cheeks in the chicken head.
The smirk on Ren's face couldn't fade away now, not even if he wanted, and he didn't want.
They forgot they were on a public studio. With people staring them, shocked.
Ren's smirk faded away when he met a pair of glassed fangirlish eyes. He gulped at seeing Yashiro's expression. He would never end his teasing now, Ren knew it.
When a winged arm grabbed his hand, he thought he didn't mind any teasing, if that would mean be connected to Kyoko like that.
He was able to drop all the formalities soon after he discovered she was Bo. How many other things he would be able to obtain in the near future, he couldn't wait to see it.
"Ren-san, I want to assure you my intentions weren't bad or anything like that. I didn't tell you I'm Bo, because I wasn't sure you would trust me with your problems... and I wanted to help you...I'm sorry" she said with a low murmur from the chicken.
"Kyoko, don't apologize anymore or I would think you've done something bad and I know it isn't the case. You want me to trust you. I trust you. Now, can you please trust me and believe my words when I say I'm not angry at you?"
The chicken nodded.
The smile Ren was showing to the chicken was the most shocking thing for all the presents. It was similar at the infamous Katsuki's smile, but even more powerful than that.
All doubts, jealousy, curiosity around Kyoko were triplicated.
Who was that chicken?
Who was that chicken?
After a stressing day, closed from morning till night in that damn recording studio, he was at his limit. Shoko interrupted the recording session when she finally decided to notice the aura around him. People who touched him on an arm or a shoulder were electrified. Sho didn't seem to know his expression was so similar to Kyoko in those moment, almost as if he had similar... energy (it was the only name Shoko could call the strange phenomenons that happened around the girl).
Seeing his distorted expression, she decided to take him home.
It was from the last time they met Kyoko, that he didn't seem to care anymore about his image, neither around Shoko.
That night, indeed, he trew himself on her couch in his untidy manner and turned on the tv.
There was one of the most popular program of the moment. Shoko didn't think there will be problems if he watched it.
She was mistaking.
The episode started with a loud bang and a lot of smoke on the scene. The three hosts came, running around, dressed as policemen, in the background a lot of noise and sirens.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we did it!"
"Tonight, for the special episode, we caught him!"
"The special guest! The most wanted star..."
"Only our beloved Bo could do what everyone else couldn't!"
"Here you are... Tsuruga Ren!"
The wannabe actor entered in a fashion that made him seemed stupid, at last in Sho's opinion, who started laughing crazily.
But as the program kept going, his laugh died.
The skits the chicken and Ren were pulling out were hilarious and it was shown the ability of both of them as actors (even if one was blocked in a giant chicken suit).
What killed Sho's amusement was something else.
There was a thought about that chicken, something he forgot and suddenly, seeing Tsu-baka in a funny scene in which he tried to seduce the chicken to let him free, he remembered.
Kyoko had done the chicken part once time ago.
What if...
No way! Sho shook his head. She was surely fired because of the way she treated him that time.
But what if she was still doing that stupid job as the chicken?
He paled. If that was the case... Tsu-baka knew and was taking advantage from the situation!
He was handcuffed to Kyoko!
Sho was shocked by now, trying to convince himself it was just acting in a program, they wouldn't be handcuffed one to another for real...right?
He was sweating at the thought.
Who was the chicken?
He decided, he had to discover who was the chicken.
See? I can be good sometimes, too! XD
I published two chapters in a row.
Again, because I couldn't consult the dictionary, you may find many errors... pardon me!
I tried my best to publish this chapters in the Holidays time... -.-
Whatever, I hope you enjoyed it! ^^