Chapter 12

T -3 Days & Counting

It was now Wednesday and the day after her little impromptu date with Ren. She still had little butterflies carrying her from one destination to the next. She could have never guessed that Ren was actually in the same state as she was and Yashiro didn't know what to make of the entire situation. He expected Ren to be in a perpetual Demon Lord state because of Kyoko's future date, and he expected Kyoko to be in a tizzy over said date with her mysterious young man. Yet, there was none of that. They were both, almost literally floating everywhere they went. Ren had been bumping into things absentmindedly in his distraction with that love-struck look on his face, Yashiro lost count on how many times he had to remind him of it. Kyoko-chan seemed as though she had wings and the smile she had absentmindedly given more than once, had caused at least two accidents that he knew of for certain.

He wasn't sure which was worse. Her or, him. Certainly Ren's fans were disturbing, but Kyoko's admirers were wily creatures. Sneaky men with compliments, flowers, candies, stuffed plushies and a dressing room full of everything. The last time he had been this inundated at every turn, had been Valentine's Day with Ren's booty. However, this time it was at every job he had taken her to. How did something like this happen so fast? Hadn't it only been like a week since she had taken on her new look? He groaned at the thought and remembered the lists in Princess Magazine. She was already the girl most young men in Japan wanted as a perfect little girlfriend.

He could only hope that Ren would get off his ass and do something about his love life, so that men would know clearly that she was as unattainable as he was. Yashiro smirked. The "Royal Couple" of entertainment. There had to be a way to give them a little push and get better results than just the trivial progresses that seemed to send Ren into a state of euphoria. Yashiro froze a little. What if that's all the poor guy could handle at a time. Would something more significant break him? Yashiro could just see in his mind's eye, Ren repeatedly running into a wall like a broken robot.

She was still in a daze from her date with Ren the prior evening and everything seemed to be covered in a beautiful pale pink cloud, not the horrible garish pink that Lory always made them wear for the LoveME section. Everything was perfect. Perfect weather, perfect outfit, her makeup and hair were perfect, Ren was perfect when she caught a glimpse of him and smiled. LME was perfect. Her scenes were perfect. Her two modeling shoots were perfect. Breakfast and Lunch were perfect. Even her silly manager that sometimes squealed like a teen-aged girl was perfect. She felt like she wanted to kiss every face and pinch every cute cheek.

She blushed a little thinking about the perfect face she had kissed last night. Smooth, soft and closely shaven with just the right amount of aftershave. She remembered the scent of his aftershave and cologne mixed along with his natural musky scent and she flushed, blushing furiously, remembering the dreams that something like that had elicited last night. Her knees felt a little weak and she giggled wondering if he felt the same way. She suspected it was something like that. She had caught a glimpse of him stunned in the alley, through the peep-hole in the door, before he walked to his car in a daze. The thought made her heart sprout wings again and flutter in her chest. Yes, this was definitely better than anything she had ever had with Shotaro. Undeniably.

"Kyoko-san, there's a delivery for you." The Photographer's assistant told her and Yashiro groaned.

Kyoko giggled at his reaction, set down her bento and answered the door to the lounge. Kyoko gasped when she saw the red crystal vase filled with a dozen Fire & Ice Queen roses before her. They were stunning. She grabbed the vase carefully, sat it on the table and opened the enclosure card.

{Thank you for a wonderful evening. I hope to enjoy your company again very soon. Love Always, Ren.}

She blushed brightly and sighed, holding the card close to her heart and the curiosity was practically killing Yashiro.

"So, who's it from Kyoko-chan?" He was practically begging.

Hmm, she wasn't sure that she wanted to reveal this to Yashiro quite yet and if Ren hadn't said anything yet, she would like to keep it to herself for now. She just didn't wish to share this with anyone so soon. She wanted to bask in this moment alone, a little bit longer. She would definitely tell Kanae about it later, because she was the one that practically made it all possible. "An admirer." She told him and pocketed the card, while sniffing the roses. Technically it wasn't a lie.

Yashiro's brow furrowed. Crap... What do I tell Ren. It couldn't be that boy she has the date with Saturday, could it? He questioned as he looked up at the glorious flower arrangement. Is he already starting to woo her? Oh no! I have to warn Ren so he can counteract it. I can't let him fall behind in this. He thought in a panic.

"Is everything okay, Yashiro-san? You look a little pale." She asked with concern.

Yashiro shook his head. "No, no. I'll be fine. I just forgot something. I'm sorry Kyoko-chan, I need to step out for a bit to make a call."

She nodded and watched her worried manager step into the hall. Oh well. She shrugged off his strange behavior and pulled out her phone.

[Thank you for the roses. They're beautiful. -K]

Ping...

[You're very welcome, but they aren't half as beautiful as you. -R] Oh yes, he was getting bold. Her reaction last night and her flirting had been more than enough encouragement for that.

She blushed when she read the message.

[Thank you. -K]

Ping...

[Gotta get back to work. Will call you later, Princess. -R]

Oh lord, she wanted to melt. He called her Princess. She blushed and giggled at the message. At this point she decided to place a security lock on her phone. She did not want anyone reading their private messages on accident or, on purpose.

This time he really was doing his little dance and quietly singing "I am the champion" in his dressing room. She actually sent him a text with all of the little emoticons and flashing letters, thanking him for the flowers. She didn't even balk at the "Love Always" he had signed his name with. He was sure that she would have freaked out over it, but she didn't. She even accepted his cheesy, but true compliment. If his day hadn't been perfect before, it most certainly was now. Heck, even his bento tasted good. How long had it been since that had happened and it not been her cooking?

~xoxo~

Yashiro was beside himself with worry, when he stepped out into the hall. He really needed to talk to Takarada-san and warn him of what was happening or, Ren's love life would be left in a shambles. This young man was going after Kyoko-chan at full-throttle and he could do nothing to stop it, without being obvious. He didn't want to tell Kyoko-chan that the young man could have ulterior motives, it would probably shoot down the confidence that she had been showing lately. He didn't want her to think she wasn't worthy of something like that. He needed help pushing Ren into action and what he was doing wasn't helping at all.

"Takarada-san! I really need your help. There's a young man that sent Kyoko-chan flowers today and she accepted them! I don't know what to do!" He really hadn't explained well at all, he was so flustered.

Lory chuckled. "Yukihito-kun, she's a beautiful young woman in the entertainment industry. Of course young men are going to send her flowers."

"B-But, you should have seen the look on her face when she read the message attached. I think she knows the young man that sent them. I think it could be the young man you set her up on her date with for Saturday! We have to do something or, Ren will be left behind!" He really was a nervous wreck at this point.

Lory shook his head. "Well, isn't it a good thing that the young man is actually showing interest in her?"

"Y-Yes... but what about Ren?" He asked worried and a little disillusioned.

Lory sighed. "Yukihito-kun, if Ren isn't worried or, bothered by it, you shouldn't be either. That boy has obviously made his decision. If he has asked you not to interfere, then just don't. It's for the best." He commanded. Yashiro needed to be told to stand down, officially.

Yashiro sighed in defeat. "Yes Sir. I will not interfere with them."

"Good, just let me know all of the wonderful little details of Mogami-kun's journey." Lory told him in a fatherly tone. "Oh! What kind of flowers did the young man send her."

Yashiro groaned. "It was a dozen Fire & Ice Queen roses in a red crystal vase with little white orchids and some kind of wispy fern."

Lory chuckled. "I have to admit, he does know how to dazzle. I assume she liked it?"

He groaned again. He was definitely going to need an antacid after today. "She loved it. She even blushed."

"Interesting. Well, thank you Yukihito-kun. I will talk to you later." Lory hung up with a smile and Yashiro wanted to collapse on the floor and die. After all of the time he had put in, to get those two together, it was going to end with a dead fizzle. He sighed, straightened himself and decided to go back in and finish lunch, if he could actually stomach it still.