The Yashiro Conspiracy
Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.
Blacktohru: This chapter goes out to all of you who've read, reviewed or placed this story in your alerts and favourites. Thanks for your patience!
Jackie: I'm glad you managed to find this fic and I sincerely hope you like it, since this has been my pet project for the past year. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and I anticipate the next time we meet up! Oh, by the way, 'black taro' means black yam. LOL! Cheers!
Prof Beefy: Thank you, dear, for your assistance with this chapter. I'm always in awe of your ability to finish my thoughts without me uttering them!
Runadaemon: My precious beta-reader. Thank you once again for your hard work! I appreciate you for being such a stickler for detail and for your wonderful input! I know you've been super busy of late, but you still invested your time and patience for me! *hugs*
La Jazz: Love love love all your wonderful reviews! I do hope that this chapter satisfies you, since you are one of my loyal readers! Long overdue, I know. I've been working weekends of the past month, leaving me little time to fine tune this chapter, although the draft was already out just after CNY! But, I hope you'll enjoy this little instalment!
Golden Meliades: Thank you for the inspiration! Your 'testing ground' for your new fics proved to be quite an eye-opener for me. I am, after all, still very much a beginner at writing. I look forward to more of your wonderful stories!
Buloy: Thank you! I'm honoured to have you leave me a review. I really loved ETF and Ouran Blues! I'm so glad I managed to make Ch11 work out. It was rather difficult to get everything in place, especially since it was so incredibly WAFFy! As for my commitment towards this fic, well... there IS a reason why my updates take over a month – writer's block, in addition to work commitments. LOL! It's difficult to find time to write, but I do squeeze in a few hundred words (or a few thousand when I'm on a roll) with the appropriate inspiration! ETF looks very promising and I can't wait for a new chappie!
Rin03: It's not ending just yet! There are still loose ends to be tied up, right? I do feel that I'm overstepping my authority on SB by deciding how the ending occurs, but... well, no spoilers k? ^^
Mangaaddict300: (Adds more sugar – yes, this chapter definitely has lots!) Thanks for sticking with TYC and being so patient. Hope this one pleases you just as much!
Fate Lowe: Arigatou! Just a little more...not too far off now. Enjoy! I must say...that is one cool tattoo!
Devillishduck: Thanks! I was a little worried that it would be weird, since it was so sudden! More POV coming up!
Violinanimemangafreak: Glad you liked it! From your nick, I was just wondering whether you watched/read La Corda d'Oro? It's an anime and manga about music, violins being one of the main instruments. Plenty of bishounens too!
Goodwind: Thanks for the feedback! Like I mentioned earlier, I'm a complete amateur at writing and TYC did start off rather awkwardly in my personal opinion. I hope that at least, the next few chapters would show improvement in my ability to portray each character and bring them to life for my readers. Glad you enjoyed it!
Moons-Chan: Not quite! But as each chapter progresses, we shall see Ren's facade slowly peel away bit by bit. For someone with such rigid control over his emotions, just try imagine what would happen then! Or, of course, you could wait for the next chapter!
Le candyknights: More fluff for our favourite couple! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
Lala-tan: I'm glad Ba-chan's identity remained a secret till it was exposed! Read on for more fluff!
Kay: Settled? Not quite! It's gonna pick up from now on!
Stupid thing: I don't see how cookies can go wrong but still taste good. If they taste good, then they ARE good! LOL! Guess I'm not much of a cook then. But blood? On cookies? I wonder... Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
WindyLea: Perhaps I took a little too much time with this chapter? But I hope you like it anyway!
Lady of the Hunt: Thanks! Glad you liked it! Good luck with that writer's block and I hope this update inspires you...somehow... (chokes on self-flattery) LOL! Just kidding! Gambatte!
Sleeping itasaku fangirl: Nice to meet ya! Thanks for dropping a review! (hands out triple chocolate chip cookies)
Mangaka-sensi: Loved your review! And I'm really glad you liked that chapter. Hope this one will be equally satisfying!
Chainedheart999: Hello neighbour! Well, I could be living next door to you for all I know! Lol! That is, if you're still in the same country? Thanks for the lovely reviews! I can see how the movie chapter is rather confusing in the beginning, but not to worry. There will be updates for that, just not yet! I did wonder whether Ren did end up going to university since he is twenty, but from the sketchy timeline from the manga, probably not. Thanks for the translation! I hope you enjoy this chapter...
Jbramx2: Thanks for reviewing! I must say, you are one fantastic artist! Wow! Admittedly, I don't follow American comics that closely, so my apologies for being unable to understand the fics you posted there.
Dolphinz: Bonjour! Bonne chance avec apprendre le français! Ah, if I got that wrong, please correct me! I love to pick up new languages, although I haven't really shown much talent for it just as yet, unfortunately. TYC hasn't ended yet! Just a few more chapters, so look out for it!
Ishasuki Mitochi: Nods. Yes, Ren was OOC. I'm glad you pointed that out. As you will see, his cool and calm facade of a gentleman is slowly fading as Kuon begins to appear! Hope this Update (with a capital U) satisfies you!
LavenderSkies: I am trying to be nicer to Sho! LOL! He's got this dependency complex where he believes that everyone should revolve around him and answer to his every beck and call, probably due to his upbringing. So it is rather hard to like such an unlikeable character, in my personal opinion. But he does have some redeeming qualities. Yes, you will definitely see more of him in the coming chapter(s)!
Freyasakura: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! The manga and maybe the anime may eventually explain more detail on Ren's past, but this is just my take on it for this fic! More on the movie chapter soon, but not just yet! Ren's still blonde for now, but more on that will be explained during the movie, kays?
LavenderSkies: I'm glad you're enjoying reading TYC as I am writing it! Tired of it? No way! TYC's been my baby for the past year, and amazingly, it's the reason why my writing skills have improved – and also, most interestingly, the reason why I got my job! ^-^ A few more chapters to go! So hang on till then, and maybe I'll post up a new story that I'm working on now...
Tsuki_281: Thank you! I hope this chapter satisfies you!
Ecyoj06: Glad you're enjoying it so far! I love food too! I've recently begun craving this little delicacy called salmon mentai nigiri – it's a salmon roll topped with roe that's been slightly seared with a blow torch (aburi style!) that simply melts in your mouth!
Sakimi1014: Thanks for dropping a review! And you're right... Byakuya and Rukia are a VERY strange pairing. I like Byakuya personally, especially that recent episode showing his younger self. Kya~!
Maxride0001: Love squares? Wow... never quite thought of it that way. Nice one! I'm all for happy endings, so you needn't worry! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
Gingergirl63: LOL! Unfortunately, yes, she is his cousin twice removed. But we won't focus on her for TYC. Perhaps Kijima will get his own story one day... but not anytime soon. TYC first!
Chapter 12 – The Aftermath
Dappled sunlight streamed in through the windows of her bedroom in Darumaya, highlighting her curled up form on the bed. She curled into a tighter ball, smiling unconsciously to herself as she did so. Her pleasant dream faded away, the details already distant in her mind as she drew the blanket to her cheeks.
"Ren..."
She bolted upright on her bed as his name passed her lips. She racked her head anxiously. What on earth had she been dreaming of, for her to say his name aloud? But the blurry remnants of her dream had already slipped away, leaving only a strange sense of security and warmth that inexplicably soothed her deep inside.
Drawing on her bedroom slippers, she stretched her limbs, feeling them pop and snap into place as she began her morning exercises. As monotonous as it was, it allowed her thoughts to fall into place as each practiced movement blended with one another seamlessly. The sunlight had strengthened and she winced, half wishing she could jump back into bed and bury herself in the soft blankets, if only to recapture the fragments of her nostalgic dream.
A small smile lit her face as she recalled the events of the party. Kyouko spun around her room happily. She knew Ren wouldn't just back off without a fight. He had planned everything perfectly. His dramatic appearance with Kuu at his side, endorsing the upcoming movie had pretty much clinched it. If she closed her eyes, she could almost see, almost feel and relive the party that had taken place not twelve hours ago. Two men parried swords before her – both more precious to her than she could have ever imagined. The clash of steel against steel rang in her ears once again, but it was the terrifying prospect of either one of them getting hurt that brought tears to her eyes. She shuddered, recalling the strange clench of her heart when the sword Kuu had wielded narrowly avoided Ren's vital points. Yes, vital points were now something she was well versed in after her training for the movie. When Ren's sword had pierced Kuu, she had bit her lip hard to stop herself from crying out.
She shook her head vigorously, trying to erase the image. Ren was home, and that was all that mattered. The filming for 'The Black Dragon' could proceed according to plan and everything would return to normal.
She sat down at her desk and cupped her chin in the palm of her hands, unable to stop the burst of pride she felt for him.
"Only Ren, huh," she mused. He was definitely one of the few actors she had met who was completely focussed on acting.
A quiet tapping at the door alerted her to her surroundings.
"Kyouko-chan? Are you okay?"
"Ah, gomen Okami-san. Was I too noisy?"
The older woman smiled knowingly. Kyouko-chan was such a bright spot in their everyday lives. She was the child they had always wanted and could never have. She noted the sunny smile on her face and wondered what had brought that about. For weeks, Kyouko had been moping around, completely unable to function properly. She had attempted to talk to her, to at least ease some of the worry in her young eyes, but all Kyouko had done was stare back at her strangely, her lower lip trembling slightly.
"So was the party a success?" she attempted to broach the topic.
"Yes!" she grinned. "We celebrated my senpai's return and revival," her brows scrunched up a little. "The entertainment industry can be rather scary sometimes. But I'm glad that my senpai managed to overcome all those rumours surrounding him."
"Senpai?" she asked curiously.
Kyouko nodded. "I think you may have heard of him before. His name is Tsuruga Ren. The leading male actor in Dark Moon?"
"Ah, yes. I met him here once."
"He was a customer here?" she was slightly incredulous.
The older woman laughed and shook her head in the negative. "You of all people should know that wouldn't be possible. He just came by a while back, looking for you."
"Oh," her young charge muttered and seemed to slip into darker thoughts.
"Anyway, Kyouko-chan, I was just wondering…. what do you think of your senpai?"
"Eh? I really respect him," she paused and mulled over the question. "He's one of the best actors I have ever met and as his kouhai in LME, I strive to be just like him! Did you see him in Dark Moon? Wasn't he fantastic?" Kyouko gushed, and the Okami-san noted the excitement and pride in Kyouko's eyes. It was the most animated she had seen her in weeks.
Okami-san's eyes widened slightly. If she didn't know Kyouko so well, she could have passed it off for a young girl's foolish flight of fancy. Or a very normal crush on a good looking actor. She hesitated a moment. Not too long ago, she had asked her young charge whether she held any special feelings for any of her co-workers. It was perfectly natural of course, for someone Kyouko's age to experience one or two puppy loves. But the starry-eyed look the young actress wore morphed into something more affectionate; a gentle smile curving her lips. She blinked, more than a little taken aback. So much for Kyouko-chan not being a foolish woman and harbouring love for her colleagues. She decided to be direct about it.
"Ne, Kyouko-chan, are you sure you don't have any special feelings for your senpai?"
"Special feelings, Okami-san? What are you talking about? He's my senpai!"
Okami-san smiled at that. Perhaps this was how it felt to be a mother, she mused to herself. "Feelings for your senpai, Kyouko-chan, aren't necessarily restricted to respect. You are both good friends, right?"
Good friends, Kyouko considered that thought. Friends cared for one another and took care of each other, just like how she and Moko-chan were best friends. Could her relationship with Ren really be called friendship? At the party, it took all that she had to focus on the tasks at hand and not on the extremely high probability of it being a failure. If it had failed, she shivered at the thought. Ren's name could have been rendered black for the rest of his career.
She could still feel the warmth of his lips pressing a kiss on her hand when he had finally escaped from the President's clutches on the night of that party. The immense relief she had felt flooding her system had been real. She couldn't stop repeating in her head, 'He's back...he's home...' It took all her acting skills to stop the tears that had welled up in her eyes. Instead, she had forced back a choke and stifled the urge to bury her face in his shoulder and hug him tightly. Her breath had hitched and her voice caught in her throat, strangling the words that she wanted to say. Somehow he had understood and bestowed a gentle smile on her.
She chewed on her lower lip as she considered that thought. Ren had always had that ethereal aura about him. The way he moved, that graceful carriage of his; his voice, deep and mellow; it all carried an exceptional beauty. She knew from experience that he had a will of steel when it came to the things that he believed in.
Moko had always said that he was far friendlier with her than with anyone else in LME. Even Momose-san had commented on that. She knew that they were more than kouhai and senpai. Very good friends? She smiled a little at the thought. Who would have thought that the one man she had hated in LME would eventually turn out to be a good friend of hers. People can change, she reminded herself.
"Kyouko-chan? Kyouko-chan?" she waved a wary hand in front of the younger girl's face.
"Oh, sorry! My thoughts just wandered off there for awhile." Kyoko smiled at her okami.
The woman laughed a little at that and stood up. "Why don't you join us for breakfast? There's still some time before you have to leave for school."
"Thank you, Okami-san! I'll be downstairs in a minute!"
"Okay," she paused. "Kyouko-chan?"
"Yes?"
"Falling in love is a wonderful feeling. And it's double the joy when the person you love, loves you in return."
With that enigmatic remark and a gentle smile gracing her features, she turned and left Kyouko to her thoughts.
Kyouko descended the stairs in a slight daze. "Okami-san? What did you mean when you said..." she hesitated when she saw the warning look the older woman shot her. Oh, Taisho-san was in the same room. Kyouko bit back a chuckle.
"Good morning, Taisho-san," she greeted him politely.
He grunted in reply, gruffly muttering his greeting. Kyouko took her seat next to him, knowing all too well he was carefully watching her every movement although he was hiding behind the morning paper.
"There's a letter for you," Okami-san replied, handing over the plain white envelope with her name printed on in neat, precise handwriting.
"Arigatou, Okami-san," she placed her chopsticks neatly on the side of her bowl, accepted the envelope and froze.
Her heart almost stopped. She had found her.
The morning dawned with a magnificent clear blue sky and Ren was all smiles as he trotted down the corridors of LME looking for that familiar pink. He'd made his comeback as Ba-chan had predicted and all was well. In his personal opinion, he'd even made a little progress with Kyouko-chan. Only ten o'clock, he noted. He was a little early for his afternoon appointment with Director Ogata. But he was hoping to bump into his kouhai first.
He caught sight of that blinding pink and his smile didn't waver as he recognized the cascading black hair that identified the Love Me Member No.2.
"Kotonami-san? Good morning." He kept his greeting light and restrained the urge to push past her in his eagerness to see Kyouko.
She bit back a growl of frustration. This was one person that she didn't want to meet so early in the morning. She flipped her hair back nonchalantly and glared at the source of her annoyance.
".." She scowled. "She's late. Not a few minutes late! Two whole hours late! You know that never happens."
"Have you tried calling her?" he couldn't stop the burgeoning panic that had begun to spread, and the smile slipped off his face.
"Are you an imbecile?" she retorted, completely oblivious to the look of horror on Yashiro's face. "Of course I tried. Even her landlords know nothing." She closed the door to the Love Me member's room with an audible snap.
"Ren," Yashiro prodded him a little worriedly. "I'll inform the President and postpone all your arrangements till noon, okay?"
The actor shot him a look of gratitude and nodded. Bowing his thanks to the fuming pink figure in front of him, he made to move away but hesitated when he heard her mumble.
"Could she have...possibly...no," Moko shook her head in denial. She mentally berated herself. Of all people, she should be the last to even bother about her colleagues, much less care for their wellbeing. She inhaled sharply. This was the reason why she didn't want friends! It was altogether too troublesome.
"She should be fine. Perhaps she just didn't hear her phone ring," Ren replied. He took a breath, trying to convince himself of her safety.
"Arrrghh! Mou!" she stomped her foot, startling the actor. "You're going to look for her, right? Take me with you."
Ren blinked. "Ah, but... you don't have any jobs today?"
"It doesn't matter. Her safety matters."
Elsewhere, Sho was lounging comfortably in his easy chair as he flipped through a stack of photographs that had been delivered to his doorstep. The large envelope it was contained in lacked any stamp or postmark so it was obviously hand delivered.
He had choked on his coffee when he saw the first photograph – one of Kyouko and a girl dressed in the same eye-blinding pink uniform that she seemed to like so much.
He didn't know who had sent them to him, but his curiosity got the better of him. He began to sift through the stack. It was all of her – Kyouko at her night job at some restaurant all decked out in her waitress finery; Kyouko in her prim and neat school uniform raising her hand to answer a question; Kyouko with short black hair and an ugly scar running down her left cheek. His eyes bugged a little at this one, but he recalled that one of her roles required her to look like some fiend.
He paused at the one of her in the angel outfit which she wore for his PV. It really wasn't the fact that she looked completely different in make-up. It was the expression that she had on her face; one of gentleness and content, her eyes glimmering with laughter, her blonde hair catching the rays of the morning sun. He didn't recognize her, he thought angrily. That wasn't his Kyouko. He discarded the photo carelessly.
The next one was one of her and some other male actor who he didn't recognize. He hesitated. No, he did recognize him. It was that bastard he met at LME who didn't recognize him. What was his name again? Kijima something. He growled ferociously at recalling the humiliation he had suffered. The photo crumpled under his grasp as he scrutinized it. That man had his arm around her shoulder protectively and she was laughing at something he had said.
"Damn it!" he cursed and slammed his hands on the table in fury. "That's not Kyouko. It can't be her."
The last one was of her in the loose embrace of a blonde haired man he almost didn't recognize. The man held a hand to her cheek gently while she returned his smile with one of her own. A tender, almost loving smile.
"DAMN IT! TSURUGA REN!!!"
It wasn't his fault, he thought as he tore each and every one of them into unrecognizable bits and dumped them all into the dustbin. It was all her fault. She shouldn't have turned away from him. Everything would have been perfectly fine if she had stayed by his side like the good girl she had been. He had made all the arrangements necessary and soon...soon... she would be back where she belonged.
"Sawara-san?" Ren called out a little breathlessly as he saw the older man at his usual desk. "Have you seen Kyo- Mogami-san?"
"Kyouko-chan? No. I've been looking for her myself." Now that was a pairing you didn't see very often, he thought to himself as the older man stared at Ren and Moko, the latter seemingly a little winded.
"Okay, thanks. If you do see her, could you tell her to call me?" Moko called out as they rushed on in their search.
"Tsuruga-san." She jogged a little at his side, her voice strained at having to keep up with his long strides. "Why can't you just call her 'Kyouko-chan' like everyone else does?" The man at her side took little notice of her, taking full advantage of his height to scan the corridors and waiting rooms occupied by comfy lounge chairs.
"She... she hasn't given me leave to do so," he hedged, finally giving in to her after she nearly bit off the head of one of Ren's lovelorn fans who tried to block their path. "I think we should check out Darumaya, just in case."
She nodded and followed him to the car park. "She would, you know. She really respects you."
"Yes," he replied shortly, unwilling to continue this line of conversation. He slid into his sleek Porsche and waited impatiently for his unwanted passenger to board, hoping that his abruptness would allow the conversation to die a natural death.
But Moko was relentless. All the man was doing was chasing his own proverbial tail. She'd seen the look on her best friend's face whenever she talked about her respected senpai. It wasn't just the awe-filled voice she had whenever she had the opportunity to witness his acting first-hand. No. It was the softening of Kyouko's expressive brown eyes that had done her in. She nearly snorted in disgust. "If you truly love her, then why aren't you... doing anything?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration.
He turned startled brown eyes on her. He opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off. "She's not too young. She's already seventeen for crying out loud."
He was silent next to her but she saw the imperceptible tightening of his fingers on the steering wheel.
"You know what Sho did to her. The reason why she's in the Love-Me department. Why can't you just understand why it's so hard for her to even consider the idea of love? If you don't do anything, other guys are going to be after her soon. There are already a few who are angling for her."
Ren's jaw clenched and a muscle began to tick in his neck.
There. That got your attention, eh? Moko hid a grin.
"Could you try calling up her other workplaces? Maybe her school?" Ren asked as he took a particularly sharp corner, making her grip her seat forcefully.
She frowned. "She was supposed to be at LME, and as far as I know, school's out for the day. Some holiday in lieu of their founding day. I've already tried calling TBM and one of her colleagues at Box 'R'. No luck."
He gritted his teeth and slammed on the brakes when he reached the front door of Darumaya. He left the engine running while he knocked on the door.
He released a breath of relief as the door slid open. "Uh, sorry to disturb so early in the morning, but is Mogami-san around?"
The woman stared at him in surprise. "She left awhile ago."
"Ah, okay then. Thank you very much."
"Tsuruga-san?"
"Yes?" he tried to hide his pained expression.
The older woman hesitated and then slid the door open a little wider. "I think there's something you both need to know." She nodded at Moko, recognizing Kyouko's oft spoken of best friend as she slid out of the car.
"Kyouko-chan was perfectly fine this morning when I spoke to her until she read the letter," Okami-san began.
"What letter?"
"I'm not too sure who it was from but the postmark indicated that it came from Kyoto."
Kyoto. Ren released a breath of frustration. That could only mean that her past had caught up with her.
"What's in Kyoto?" Moko asked bluntly.
The landlady shrugged. "We don't really know."
"Tsuruga-san? You do know something, don't you?" the actress asked him sharply.
"She's from Kyoto," he replied, a little unwilling to divulge any details he knew about her.
Moko stared at him, a little angrily. He knew! He wasn't going to spill it easily, but she wasn't tenacious for nothing.
"Kyouko-chan – she's a really good girl. Whatever that letter said, it really shocked her. Immediately after reading it, she ran upstairs and..." the older woman bit back a sob. "She took an overnight bag with her and left."
Shit. Ren was at his feet immediately.
"She didn't mention where she'd be going?" Moko asked.
"No. Please...call us if you find her?"
"Of course," Ren nodded at her as he turned to leave. "Thank you."
Moko grasped his arm tightly. "Do you think she went to Kyoto?"
Kyoto. There was nothing for her left in Kyoto. Except... her mother. Ren executed a sharp U-turn and ignored the screeching of his tires and that of the other cars that had to brake to make way for him. Amidst the blaring of horns, he replied. "Her mother. Her mother is still in Kyoto."
He took a moment to glance at her and then said, "I'll send you back to LME."
"Wait. Wait wait wait," Moko felt like pulling at her hair in frustration. "Where are you going then? Don't tell me... you're going to Kyoto?"
He didn't reply as he reached into his pocket and retrieved his hand phone. He pressed the speed dial and waited for the call to be connected.
"Ah, Yashiro-san? Could you help me book a flight to Kyoto? Yes. The earliest one. Please cancel all my appointments for the next few days as well." Ren held the phone away from his ear as Yashiro began yelling.
Moko winced as she overheard the faint shouting in the background. Inspiration hit her and she grabbed the phone.
"Yashiro-san? Make that 2 tickets. And could you kindly inform Takarada-san for me, please?"
Lory calmly took the phone from Ren's manager. "That will be fine. I'll be looking forward to making all THREE of you, Mogami-san included, work doubly hard for this leave of absence."
"Thank you, Takarada-san," she breathed a sigh of relief and hung up.
Ren glanced at her curiously as he headed for the airport. "Are you sure about this?"
She snorted with contempt. "She's MY friend. Of course I'm going to look for her. But what makes you so sure she'd have reached Kyoto by now? She could have taken the bus or the train."
Ren allowed himself a wry smile. Knowing her, there was no way she'd waste time considering her options. Not when it came to her mother. "That would take easily eight or nine hours. If it's an emergency, which I suspect it is, she would definitely take the seventy minute flight. You know her, what do you think? Is she the kind of person who'd just abandon her work on a whim and disappear for good?"
She shook her head. "No. But even this is completely unprecedented on her part."
He stopped the car in front of LME. "Stay here in Tokyo, just in case she comes back. I can't allow you to come with me. You'll just jeopardize your career."
"Why?! She's my friend!" her response was instantaneous and indignant at the idea that Kyouko wouldn't want her to look for her.
He gave her a blinding smile. "Are you my rival by any chance?"
Her jaw dropped. "Are you an IDIOT???" She fumed at the mention of such a possibility. Did this man even have his head screwed on properly? Considering all that she knew of him, perhaps there were a few loose screws, but most men tended to have that problem anyway. Men! She huffed.
"I wouldn't want the best friend of my future girlfriend to face any problems at work. I don't think Kyouko-chan will be very happy with me either if she were to find out." His remark was almost casual and she nearly missed his words as a result.
Moko opened her mouth to continue her argument and then paused. Wait. He said...
"'Future girlfriend?'" She smiled slowly, victoriously. "You said it!" she grinned at him and got out of his car dutifully. "I'll be depending on you. Don't break her heart." Or else, she added silently.
He bit back a smile. He could definitely hear the underlying threat in her words.
"Thank you, Kotonami-san."
"It's 'Moko-san'," she smiled at him. "Bring her back safely."
He nodded and drove off, making his way speedily to the Haneda Domestic Airport. 'Future girlfriend'? He shook his head a little at the slip of his tongue. His control seemed to be slipping a little too easily these days. Kuon was starting to peek through the gaps in what he had once considered the iron-clad facade of Tsuruga Ren.
Blacktohru: Well? Let me know what you think! RL's been interfering with the update of this fic, but rest assured that it is still ongoing. Look out for Chapter 13! Till next time! ^_^