The Coat

A very embarrassed actor waits nervously in his car for his teen-aged co-star to join him. He watches apprehensively for her to emerge from her restaurant home. He fervently hopes that she will forgive him for his irresponsible behavior on Saturday night but he also hopes that she will honor her agreement. Spoiling Kyoko like Setsu will be so fun. Despite his anxiety, Ren smiles softly when he notices Kyoko scurry out the door and hasten towards his vehicle. She quickly yanks open the car door and closes it behind her.

"Wow, it just keeps getting colder," she exclaims as she snaps her seat belt into place. "This has to be some kind of record low for temperatures in November, huh?"

Ren agrees as he maneuvers his sports car into traffic.

"At least you bought a new coat now," Ren observes casually although he is a bit disappointed. He had planned to use a new coat as his first reason to spoil his kohai but now he will need to find another excuse. He considers that maybe he should offer to go shopping with her for her award dress. He can't help but truly smile at this idea. Watching her try on an array of slinky evening gowns would definitely be enjoyable. He glances covertly at the cute girl in his passenger seat and his heartbeat jumps.

Kyoko smiles with her cutie honey look as she remembers all the fun she had yesterday and how kind Hikaru-san had been to loan her his jacket. She absently runs her hands over the soft brown leather with affection.

Ren's response to Kyoko's happy glow is instantaneous. He feels his body temperature rise without the need of the car's heater and he mentally scrambles to crush the perverted thoughts his mind entertains. Images of Kyoko naked in only her new bomber jacket flash in his imagination. The jacket actually covers more of her body than her outfit for the photo shoot and so Ren has no problems creating an accurate image of the practically undressed young woman. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Ren tightens his grip on his steering wheel as he tries unsuccessfully to calm his physical reaction to his kinky musings. A figurative cold shower rushes over him though when Kyoko explains that she did not buy a new coat. Instead, Hikaru-san loaned it to her.

"Who's Hikaru-san?" he asks through clenched teeth as he pastes his gentlemanly smile on his face. The bomber is obviously a man's coat so Ren's green-eyed monster slithers from his cave at the thought of her being close with yet another man.

In the passenger seat, Kyoko suddenly shivers and glances apprehensively at her senpai. A whole herd of grudges erupts from Kyoko to worship in the deadly aura emanating from the driver of the car. She stutters her reply.

"Ishibashi Hikaru. He's a, a friend, uh, a friend from the LME talent section."

"Hmm, how do you know him?" Ren pressures with his smile still firmly in place.

Trapped, Kyoko scrambles to find a viable excuse for knowing the Ishibashi-big brothers that would not include admitting to her part as Bo. She draws her feet onto the car seat until she is huddled in a ball against the hate waves pulsing around her.

"A long term LoveMe job," she finally cries. "I know the Ishibashi-big brothers through LoveMe work."

The angered actor focuses on the fact that it is work relation to try to calm his boiling feelings. Ren finally brings his tumultuous emotions under control and he glances guiltily at his kohai huddled against his passenger side door. Her seeming terror washes away the last vestiges of his anger and jealousy to leave only sadness and guilt in its wake.

"Mogami-san?" Ren hesitantly asks as he reaches his hand to lightly touch her shoulder.

Kyoko screams and Ren jumps. The car swerves in response and Ren instantly reacts to bring the vehicle back under control.

As the anger waves dissipate, Kyoko uncurls from her huddle and glances timidly at her senpai.

"Sorry, Tsuruga-san. I didn't mean to scare you and cause the car to swerve," she apologizes. Ren shakes his head.

"No, Mogami-san. You don't need to apologize. I need to have better control of the car," he says aloud as he adds "and my emotions" in his mind.

"It was nice of Ishibashi-san to loan you a coat," he admits with a sigh.

Kyoko nods with a tight smile on her lips as they fall silent for the remainder of the trip to the studio. The actress continues to steal glances at her senpia though because she really does not understand what could possibly have made him so angry. It is a conundrum for which Kyoko can find no answer.

As expected, Ren and Kyoko are the first cast members to arrive at the studio but Kanae soon joins them. In deference to Kanae's response to her overly exuberant greeting at the cast meeting, Kyoko offers her best friend a more sedate greeting which only entails trying to squeeze the breath from her body but no screaming. When the older actress finally disentangles herself from her friend's grip, Kyoko gushes that she has to show her something. She drags Moko over to a secluded corner of the set and opens her cell phone. Kyoko pulls up a picture of her dressed in her new gown. The okami-san had kindly taken the photo with her phone last night when she modeled her new purchase to her landlords.

"Wow!" exclaims Kanae as she fleetingly wonders how her best friend afforded such a gorgeous designer gown. Kyoko's best friend glances across the set towards Tsuruga who is now speaking with the newly arrived Kijima and Amamiya.

"You look incredible. Did Tsuruga-san help you get your dress?" she asks. She feels just a little bit jealous at the thought that her best friend did not request that she go shopping with her for such an important item.

Kyoko blushes and shakes her head. She leans close to Kanae and whispers "The Ishibashi-big brothers took me out for it last night."

"Why?"

Kyoko tilts her head to the side as contemplates the questions. "They said they wanted to get it for me as a congratulation gift since they are my senpais."

"What does your other senpai think about this?" Moko inquires as she tilts her head towards Tsuruga.

Kyoko frowns and looks at Ren. She then turns back to Kanae with a confused expression. "Why would he care?"

Kanae hits herself in the forehead as she says "Mo, you really are an idiot."

Kyoko looks crestfallen. Her eyes fill with tears and she begins to sniffle that Moko thinks she is an idiot. Kanae tries to hush her.

"Mo, you may be an idiot but I like you that way. I wouldn't want to be friends with you if you were any other way."

"Moko-san likes me!" squeals Kyoko as she dances a short jig around her best friend. Kanae just sighs and decides that she must be an idiot too as she watches her best friend skip across the set towards her other senpai. She hates to admit it but she really would not want Kyoko to change.

"I really am an idiot," she mutters as she follows her friend.