In this world nothing is sure, absolutely nothing. I wish I could say real comforting words for all the people who are suffering, because of fortune or because of men craziness. I wish I could really have magical power that could wipe away in an instant the tears and pain of each end every person who is suffering. I really wish. But my only "power" is to pray. Because even if nothing in this world is sure, I'm sure love can somehow help.
I hope and pray the next day will be better, because love will fill it.
A hug to everyone who is enduring the pain of a disaster or the fear of a war.
Author's note: finally I'm able to post it...sorry for the delay! -.-
Disclaimer: same as always
Chapter 11: Followers
He was staring at the girl walking in front of him. He couldn't believe his luck. Finally, after days of research and stake out, he was able to run into her. She had a very normal high school uniform and had a very normal hair style. The peculiar things that made her different weren't in plain sight, only trained eyes like his could see them. He was proud of himself because he was convinced, without an ounce of doubt, he was the only one who knew everything about her. Like she didn't shorten her skirt like the other girls, or that her posture was perfect or that she wasn't really compatible with technology and phones. He chuckled, remembering her usual way of answering a call.
The girl stopped suddenly in her tracks, watching a big screen and blushing hard.
That was new. The man stared the big screen, in which there was the advertisement of a re-run of the latest Kimagure Rock. The scene on the screen was the one with Tsuruga Ren on a knee, proposing marriage to the mascot Bo the Chicken with an extremely disgusting sweet face. He didn't like Tsuruga Ren, especially when he was around his girl, who now was shaking her head, as to shake off unpleasant thoughts, and started again to walk.
He knew where she was heading, in fact she arrived soon at the LME building. He sighed. He had to wait till evening to speak with her. This time he would approach her, he decided. He smiled, a little crazily.
A shiver ran on Kyoko's back as she was entering in the hall. She stared at the street behind her, nothing unusual was going on, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and followed that she began feeling a couple of days ago. She didn't like it.
As soon as the door closed behind her, every dark feeling disappeared. LME was a home for her, but that wasn't the reason why she suddenly felt happy. It was because she met a pair of dark eyes. Jet black hair. A cursed jumpsuit. "Moko-san!" she shouted.
Her tone indicated she wasn't her usual cheerful self. Kanae looked at her with an arched bow "What?" she asked. For an outsider she was being rude, but Kyoko understood what her best friend was asking and chose to ignore it "What what?"
"Your stupid face is not stupid enough. You care to tell me why, or do you mind if I choose to ignore your idiotic 'Moko-san!' ?"
Kyoko face fell "Moko-san is right. I'm so stupid, I should be punished. I can't be surprised if she won't talk to me anymore" she muttered, still audible "I can't be surprised if..." her eyes started to water "..If she will never answer my call or..." big drops started to flow "... or if she will never again eat delicious ice cream with me!" a puddle was forming on the floor at her feet.
"Mo! Stop that already! When did I say those things?" Kanae grabbed her wrist and forcefully took her in the LoveMe room. When Kyoko was calm enough, Kanae said "Because we are friends, after all, I want to know if you have problems, mo! I won't hate you for your weirdness and stupidity, I'm well aware of those already! Mo!" Kyoko stopped mumbling depressing things at the word 'friend'. She stared at the table and babbled about dangerous missions and dangerous feelings, handcuffs and...
"Stop right there! I'm not understanding anything! Is all this mess caused by the dangerous mission?" Kyoko froze, then nodded slightly
"I'm not asking you what it is, but I can see it concern you a lot. I can guess it's about Tsuruga-san, right?" Kanae wasn't talking to Kyoko anymore. She was talking to a live version of the famous paint "The scream" by Munch. It was so realistic that Kanae could almost see the bridge and the sunset behind Kyoko. She blinked the images away and spoke firmly "Listen, I bet its top secret and it's not like you are telling me anything, don't worry. It was my wild guess and I already forgot it, ok?"
Slowly Kyoko returned at her usual self (nothing near normal, but still her usual). When Kanae saw it, she tried again "What about handcuffs and dangerous feelings? Those aren't secrets, right?"
Kyoko gulped. Moko-san took her time to ask her, she could at least answer properly "Because I'm a very unlucky girl, yesterday I was handcuffed all day with Ren-san"
Kanae was glad she was a good actress, she was able to restrain the shock and amusement in her face and voice, while Kyoko continued "And he discovered I'm Bo" she said darkly.
"Why didn't you want to tell him? You babble to him everything concerning your career, but not one of your first and regular roles. I can see it's an embarrassing part, but..."
Kyoko cut her "That's not why. For unknown reasons, Bo is a precious friend for Ren-san, he feels comfortable talking with him" The great Tsuruga Ren...has a chicken as best friend? Kanae thought incredulous
"I was so sure he would kill me if he discovered I was the one hidden in the chicken suit..."
Kanae snorted "You are an even more precious friend than that chicken" she was expecting denial, not a blush and certainly not a slight nod. In her head Kanae whistled. Tsuruga did it, this time. Whatever they were doing together, it was working and Tsuruga was slowly breaking the thick wall around her friend's heart. Not that she was going to tell her. From her mumbles and face, Kanae already guessed Kyoko was on her way to fall. Hard. Maybe it happened already. They were on the date phase, after all. She couldn't believe when Kyoko called her for help dressing up for a date with Tsuruga Ren, even if Kyoko denied energetically that it was a date. As if Kanae believed her. She even predicted a second one would follow soon.
Kanae let Kyoko mumble a little more, then she said she had to go, but she made her promise to call if she had troubles. Kyoko went to work a little more relaxed, forgetting the bad feeling from earlier.
But as soon as she stepped out of the building, that evening, the feeling of being watched came back. She shivered, throwing a glance left and right. She was waiting for a cab to take her to the hotel basement, where she would be transformed in Setsu.
Then a hand dropped on her shoulder, make her scream in horror. Sawara was startled by her reaction "Are you alright, Mogami?"
She nodded shakily "Yes, sorry. I had this creepy feeling of being watched, I bet it's just my overactive imagination, sorry Sawara-san"
The man in the shadows glared angrily at the two of them. He was interrupted again and couldn't talk to his soul mate. Damn!
And why that old guy was so friendly with his Kyoko? She was already in a cab, now. He had to wait tomorrow morning to talk to her.
Fine, it wasn't like she was going away from him. He silently walked away.
The phone rang twice before Lory picked it "Hello?"
"Hello, President. Sorry to disturb you at home. I'm concerned about something" Sawara's tone was serious, Lory could guess it was important, "what happened?"
"I just greeted Mogami on her way back and she jumped scared, so I asked her why. She told me recently she had the feeling of being watched. You know, if this statement was coming from anyone else, I would scold them for being conceited. But it came from her and we know too well she is not arrogant and how scarily accurate are her perceptions."
Lory pondered the situation. The news he received about the special dangerous mission would be more than helpful, he smiled reassured "Thank you for informing me, Takenori. Don't worry, I will give Mogami-kun a perfectly disguised bodyguard"
He closed the call and dialed another number. "Hello, President?"
"Hello, Ren. Is Mogami-kun there, yet?"
"No, she isn't. Is there a problem?" he couldn't even hide his concern, Lory smiled a little, but turned serious soon, explaining to Ren the situation.
Even before he finished talking, Ren interrupted him "I'll watch out and take care of the matter in most quiet way. Thank you for telling me."
As he closed the call, a soft knock on the door announced her. She didn't bother to wait for his permission to enter, she was already in Setsu's mode. He smiled at her "Welcome back, Setsu."
"I'm home, darling" she mockingly said in English, but something in her expression told him she was really glad to see him, as if his presence soothed her soul and nerves. That alone made him happy.
Thinking someone was following her, was more than disturbing. His eyes hardened "Kyoko, I need to request a particular thing from you. This will be my seventh request: reserve a day for me, or at least twenty four hours in various days if you can't take a day off."
Her eyes widened with surprise and her mouth hung open when he explained, "I'll give you a self-defense lesson."
She was going to ask details, but his pleading expression and his murmured "Please" shut her. She nodded, unable to say no at his expression. As soon as she agreed, he reverted back to Cain usual smirk. Their usual Cain-Setsu routine went on, until they were in the beds. Before she could close her eyes, they met and locked with Ren's.
"Kyoko, can you promise me something?" he whispered
"What?" She whispered back, as if a chant would be broken if she talk loudly.
"Can you promise me you will call me if you are ever in trouble?"
She frowned "I don't want to disturb and worry you, Ren-san"
"I will worry even more if you don't promise me," his expression was so sincere and worried, her heart started aching for forbidden feelings and she found herself answering "Alright. I promise you"
The room fell silent.
He shouldn't talk to me like that! Kyoko thought, almost angry at Ren and herself He can't be like that, talking to me like he is really worried for me, because he cares for me... not just because I'm Setsu, but because I'm Kyoko. I can't resist if he will talk to me like that another time...I'll do something foolish, I know! Damn! It's your fault, Tsuruga Ren!
Then, she realized he talked as Moko-san, he said the same things, making her promise to call them if she had trouble. Ren and Kanae's expressions were clearly stating they would come running for her. Someone would actually do that for her, Mogami Kyoko, the unwanted child.
A solitary tear ran across her cheek and she smiled. She fell asleep, feeling protected and loved, for once not fighting back that precious feeling.
He thought he knew everything about her, but he was shocked to see he was wrong. Dead wrong, actually.
That afternoon he saw her coming out of a cab, he was going to call her, but his voice was stuck in his throat at seeing the person she was with. She was smiling sweetly at Tsuruga Ren in a way she never smiled at him. A wave of pure hatred washed over him. Tsuruga Ren was transforming his girl in a stupid girl in love, he was disgusted. Damn him! He had to save Kyoko. He was proud of himself because he was prepared for that.
The self-defense lesson would take place in three different days, because neither Kyoko nor Ren were able to take a whole day off.
Even if it was one of the ticket requests, Ren asked her if they could practice more than just one day and she gladly accepted. It was from the stalking Beagle accident that she wanted to take self-defense lessons, but she never had the money or the time. She still couldn't believe he would teach her just another useful thing. And because she was Kyoko, she didn't consider the implications of a martial arts lesson, such as a lot of touching and pushing down, until it was too late.
That same afternoon after Ren's request, they booked the LME gym and were now facing each other in sport clothes. First, Ren explained the basic posture and movements, after that it was time to practice them. And then it hit her.
He would play "the aggressor", thus he would be really close to her, in a tight embrace...
New, stop it! She shouted in her mind and New smirked.
Ren grabbed her from behind. She stilled, feeling his long and hard frame pressed on her back.
She tried to reason with him "Re...Ren-san...I...I don't want to hurt you," but she had a really hard time talking, to counterattack was out of question.
"Please, Kyoko, don't worry. I'm accustomed to hits and bruises." Even though his tone was teasing and playful, she could sense the truth in his words. That made her think why an actor like him would be used to fighting. But the thought was dismissed as soon as she tried to shake him off.
She was able to do it only after a lot of attempts.
Maybe if he didn't linger too much in their almost embrace, she could do it sooner, she thought, but she couldn't bring herself to utter a word.
After that they tried the "throw away" move. To understand the way she had to weigh herself, Ren demonstrated the move on her once, but he gently helped her on the mat. It was her turn. She tried to throw him, but she didn't weigh herself well and ended up on the mat with him.
For the second time in her life, Kyoko landed on Ren, but now it was completely different. Now she was more than aware of him and her growing and unstoppable feelings. Pushing herself up, she found her hands pressed against his chest, while his were firmly on her hips. Her eyes wandered on his face until they locked with his. In an instant the atmosphere changed, full of unspoken things, and Kyoko felt herself being drawn to him. She was slowly leaning back, her lips slightly parted, her breath swallow like his …
When the alarm of the cellphone remembered them of the outside world.
Kyoko was on her feet the next second, so red that a tomato would feel envious. Ren was looking at her as he saw her for the first time. She coughed a little and excused herself, escaping in the dressing room before he could tell anything. He couldn't believe it, he never hoped for it, the look in her eyes...her leaning in...Their almost kiss... he had to regain his sanity, before he could do something irreparable.
Kyoko had to film Box-R, but fearing what she could tell or do, she changed into Natsu sooner, passing by Ren without a second glance "I'm going, Ren. Thank you for today. See you later."
He smiled at his foolish hopes. Of course she would deny anything that anything had happened. But he was not going to let her escape, this time. He decided he wouldn't escape, either.
Next day she was able to do the technique correctly and, sadly for Ren, they tried other poses that didn't required much touching.
On the third day she asked him, half bowed, if they could continue their lessons, whenever he was free and obviously if it wasn't an imposition. He smiled at her and she felt the arrows hit her heart
"I'll always find time for you, Kyoko."
She didn't answer and he mentally sighed. But he couldn't see the arrows still planted deep in her heart as he couldn't see her trying to compose herself.
He went to speak to Sawara-san, while Kyoko waited for him at the entrance of the parking.
Her mind was safely thinking about the news regarding the secret mission, a possible out of location filming and an extension of the project for a week or two, when suddenly a hand grasped her shoulder. After three days of training on her instinctive reaction, she didn't scream, she threw away her aggressor without a second thought, just to hear a startled scream.
A voice she knew. A face she knew, that was staring at her shocked. Grudges started to raise.
"What the hell are you doing here, Baka-Sho?"
"What the hell were you doing, throwing innocent people like that?" she arched a brow at the word "innocent".
She snorted "That will teach you not to startle me never again. What do you want?"
He was still shocked, wandering when and why she took self-defense lessons, while massaging his shoulder. After day of pleading (bratting) to Shoko, she finally gave up exasperated and told him when it was probable to find Kyoko at her agency.
Angered by the thought she was turning into a completely different person form his Kyoko, he went straight to the point and asked bluntly, with his usual arrogance "Are you the Bo chicken?"
Kyoko stared at him blankly, but in her mind she was again performing the live version of the paint "The Scream".
He cursed, seeing another stupid celebrity around his girl. And why were they talking about chickens? Why did Tsuruga and Fuwa keep trashing his perfect plan? He became even more resolute. Tonight. He would snatch her back at his side, tonight.
Author's apologize: !
I'm so sorry for the delay!
I could say I have many excuses...but merely it's fault of my slowness... sorry sorry sorry!
Please forgive me. I'm already working on the next chapter, but I can't say when I'll post it.
Even the last chapter of The Anti-gravity Machine is begging to be written. I'm really sorry.
To Shizu: I've had planned the martial lessons, like the other requests, before I started writing this story... I can't believe our minds are so alike! I prefer you description than mine! ^^
To Rhea: I know, I know I said before the "next" Skip Beat chapter... well, this is before...right? ^^
To Fluke: I know...I'm sorry for the delay!
Special thanks to Secluded Sapphire: You are absolutely the best, you know that! ^^ This is the edited version, many many many many thousand thanks to Sapphi-chan! Sorry for my earlier impatience! .