An Unexpected Confrontation
A/N: I've been in a bit of a slump writing-wise, but all this waiting for the next chapter is killing me. Hopefully this will keep the edge off for a while. Also, sorry if it's a bit out of character, but man are these chapters really making me anxious and I need to let out some frustration. This is related to Chapter 270 and the Unexpected Result story arc, so as always feel free to read but it's much better with context from the source manga! I hope you enjoy!
. . .
Kyoko and Ren face off in the LME staff lobby, Yashiro's head flitting worriedly between the two. Several seconds pass as the two stare at each other before Kyoko turns towards Yashiro. Bowing to him she smiles and says, "Good evening, Yashiro-san." After a pause she stands back up, and with a blinding smile at Ren she adds, "Hello, Tsuruga-san."
Little grudge Kyokos poke out as they sense something from their boss' smile. They curl about her head as she continues, "I have a meeting to get to, so I will be going." Kyoko states and starts walking back along the corridor past the lobby. Yashiro is quickly left behind as Ren follows after the young actress, his long strides easily eating up the distance between the two. Upon reaching her side he hesitatingly asks, "Can we talk Mogami-san?"
Pausing for a moment, Kyoko turns and addresses Ren, "I don't want to talk right now."
"Please! I need to apologize."
"Apologize for what? Shouldn't you be apologizing to your girlfriend? Playboy asshole." Kyoko counters, muttering the last bit to herself and starts walking again.
Ren continues to follow her, trying to talk.
"Please, Mogami-san." "Please. It'll only be a few minutes." "I'm really sorry." "It won't happen again."
Still there is no response from Kyoko.
Finally, frustration starting to build and not knowing what else to say to get her attention, Ren blurts out, "It's not true!"
That statement causes Kyoko's façade to snap. Grudge Kyokos flaring out around her, she stops at the nearest practice room door and wrenches it open. "Fine. You want to talk? We'll talk."
Walking into the room, Kyoko waits for Ren to enter before slamming the door closed and rounding on him.
"What part of I'm busy and don't want to talk do you not understand?"
Ren opens his mouth to speak before Kyoko slashes her hand, cutting him off.
"As I told Yashiro-san, I would have liked sometime to myself before we met again, but no. You need to do this now. So, we will." Taking a huge breath, Kyoko continues, anger sparking in her eyes as the culmination of unfairness she had been dealing with rushes through her,
"What gives you the right to blow up at me for being forcefully kissed by someone, when you are two-timing your girlfriend? Or, if what you said means the rumours aren't true, then going around and kissing random women?!"
"Furthermore, what does it matter to you if I am friendly with my childhood friend? It's none of your business, Tsuruga-san. You are not my family and clearly not the friend I thought you could be. You may be my senpai at work, but that does not mean you have any right to my personal life."
Ren cringes at the accusations thrown at him and starts to apologize,
"I'm sorry about that Mogami-san. I over-reacted yesterday-"
Here Kyoko cuts him off. "I don't want to hear it. There is no reason for you to be a judgemental bastard to me."
Grudge Kyokos curling around to savour their boss' anger, Kyoko takes another deep breath, this time to calm herself. Placing her professional smile back on, she turns away from Ren and starts to walk back towards the door. Just as her hand reaches the knob Ren yells out, "I was jealous! I'm sorry. There's nothing more to it." Confused, Kyoko looks back and asks, "Jealous? You were jealous of what?"
Frustrated at the situation, and at Kyoko being angry with him, Ren says hurriedly, "Jealous of Fuwa, well you and Fuwa. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to be so jealous or judgemental, or to lash out at you the way I did." Sighing, Ren sinks into a chair nearby and continues as Kyoko looks on from the doorway.
"The picture of you and Fuwa bothered me, a lot more than I thought it would. So much so I was distracted for a few days, even at work and out with others. I think I just snapped yesterday. I know this is no excuse, but I think it was because you looked so friendly together in the alleyway. That it seems like you will always forgive him, no matter what. That you will always, in someway, be friends."
Shaking his head, Ren finishes defeatedly, "But really it's just that I'm in love with you and I was jealous."
Ren pauses here. Partially out of astonishment that he just admitted his feelings for her in such a way, and partially to see if she would respond. But nothing happened. Getting up, he moves closer and decides to address something that Kyoko said before, "Also, for the record, I don't have a girlfriend, Mogami-san. I am not dating Kusunoki-san, or anyone else. It was during my distraction over your picture that Kusunoki-san caught me off guard with the kiss the other day."
Ren waits but there is only silence from Kyoko. Reaching out to touch her arm gently, Ren says, "Mogami-san?"
Closer to her he can hear Kyoko mumbling to herself, "But what about Morizumi-san? How can you be jealous of the cockroach? You what about me?" Shaking her head, Kyoko pinches herself and looks at the clock beside the door. Jolted out of her thoughts, Kyoko looks up and rapidly says to Ren, "I'm going to be late for my appointment and must go now! Good evening, Tsuruga-san!"
Opening the door, she rushes down the hallway as fast as she can, almost running into an out-of-breath Yashiro along the way. Back in the practice room Ren is left alone and unsettled. Opening and closing his hand, he considers going after her again, but realises this would not work. The next time he faces Kyoko, he needs a plan if he doesn't want her to cut him out of her life. Unfortunately, that means consulting with a certain person about love and relationships. Luckily, that was just the man he came to LME to see.
