So the end of this is why i shortened the previous chapter. The song in Italics is called "Hurtful" by Erik Hassle. So it's not mine.
..:~: Kyoko's POV :~:..
I was on the roof again. I can't believe that's it's been less than one week since Reino and I spoke here about our relationship. Speaking of which, what exactly are we? we didn't specifically talk about it yet. I get the feeling that the talk is going to be coming soon. Well it's going to have to wait for a little while because right now I'm waiting for Sho so we can clear up on some things.
Right now it's 3:15 so I have about 15 minutes till he gets here. Reino is actually standing right next to me. He hasn't stopped looking at me for several minutes.
"What?" I asked after another minute of staring.
"Nothing." he said still gazing at me. I couldn't help smiling.
"So then why are you staring at me?" I asked returning the intent look.
He shrugged and said, "I just like to, I guess. Why, does it make you uncomfortable?" I shook my head and we both continues gazing at one another.
"So I wanted to ask you about-" I was cut off by the door to the roof opening. It was Sho. Even though I knew he wasn't there I still glanced to my left to look for Reino. If Sho saw him…
"Hey." I said smiling. Sho seemed frozen for a minute but then he also said, "Uh…hi."
He walked up to me and we were both silent. It wasn't really awkward but it wasn't particularly comfortable like it I with Reino.
"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked him. I had my suspicions but I wasn't completely sure about what he wanted to say.
"I wanted to talk about…I mean…Kyoko I…" he stumbled. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "I want to talk about us." Us. It was strange coming out of his mouth. Like a mistake.
"Sho. You should know by now that there is no us. There never really was. It was just a stupid dream of mine." I said as kindly as I could.
"I know but I still want to apologize for what I did." I didn't say anything so he continued. "I'm sorry for how I used you. I'm sorry I made those empty promises and gave you so many false hopes. I'm sorry for being an idiotic, spoiled, jerk who needs to get over himself. And I'm sorry for hurting you and making you cry."
That was probably the most times I heard him say sorry in my life.
"Sho. What brought all this on? It's been 1 and a half years. Why are you apologizing now?" I asked. I really wanted to know. I really needed to know if I was going to forgive him completely.
He actually seemed a little embarrassed. "I was watching your drama's, Box R and Dark Moon, and I had an epiphany or something." I was confused but I motioned him to go on.
"So I was watching you act and I realized how far away you were. The whole time we were apart I kept tricking my self into believing that you were mine. I thought that no matter what, I'd always be first in your mind. I saw you on the screen and you were so different. You changed. Even now, instead of yelling at me or pushing me off the roof, you listening to me. And I realized that one day you would change so much that I wouldn't be able to reach you. You'd have your own perfect life, the kind you'd always wanted but more realistically, and I would still be wondering how I lost you. I don't want you to forget me, Kyoko. I now what I did was cruel but I was stupid. I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend or anything, I'm not that stupid. I just want to be friends again. The right way this time."
It took me a moment to realize that I was smiling. I laughed a little bit and I then asked Sho, "Why couldn't you have gotten smart one and a half years ago? We could have been friends this whole time. But then again it was my fault too. I had that childish grudge that you and Reino for some odd reason used to encourage heavily." We both laughed at that but then he stopped all of a sudden.
"Reino? As in Vie Ghoul's Reino? Since when do you call him that?" he asked. I could feel the suspicion and jealousy seep out of him. Why'd I have to slip up like that?"
"It's because Reino apologized before you did. Not that bad of a timing, though. Only about a week off." Reino said walking towards us now. What is he doing?
"Why is he here? And why does he look like that?" Sho asked, seething and confused. I swear he almost blew up when Reino lightly placed his hand on my waist to press my back to his chest and kissed my shoulder.
"What are you doing?" I hissed.
"Making sure he doesn't try anything stupid, like hitting on you." he whispered, his eyes not leaving Sho. Jealous idiot.
"Well I'm going to hit you if you do something stupid, like thwarting him." I whispered harshly.
"Hello! I'm right here! Please explain what's going on here." Sho demanded. Geez, tantrum much? He's so childish.
"Well if you must know-" Sho cut Reino off by shouting, "Not you! I was talking to her!"
"Well if you must know," I smirked repeating Reino. Sho scoffed and I continued by saying, "He and I kind of have a thing." It was quiet for a few minutes. Was he not ready or something?
"A thing? Like you're dating?" he asked slowly.
"Actually we haven't really discussed it yet so…" I let that sit there for a minute. It's actually kind of awkward.
"Well I would like for you to be my girlfriend." Reino said out of nowhere.
"Were just stating that or was it a subtle way of asking me?" I asked, inquiringly. I couldn't help this tingling feeling in my stomach? Is that what people mean by butterflies in their stomach?
"What would you say if I asked you?" he countered. His eyes were mischievous but I could see that little bit of insecurity in there. I smiled at him.
"Sure." I said simply. He grinned widely. Then we remembered Sho.
He looked shocked. "How did that happen?" he shouted. I'm pretty sure he meant me becoming Rei's girlfriend. God, this really isn't going how I planned at all. (I'm serious. It's not how I planned it to go but this is how it's all coming out.)
Before we could say anything another person rushed through the roof's door. I would have panicked but then I saw that it was just Mizue. What was she doing here?
"Reino! Guess what?" she asked, hyper. This is new.
"What?" he asked looking a bit worried.
"Sachi is coming!" she shouted. Then another weird thing happened. Reino's face lit up like a child's on his birthday.
"Hiro too?" he asked just as excitedly.
"Yes! They're only visiting for an hour because Kenji has a meeting. And they're coming to LME because we both know that if we're at home then the visit will somehow last for a few days. And we haven't seen them in months! You know Hiro started walking just a couple days ago?" Wow. Mizue's rambling. I know I've only known her a couple days but I never would have expected this.
"Okay! I'm even more lost than before!" Sho exclaimed.
"Oh. Hi Sho. So anyway they'll be here in about an hour minutes. Kyoko! You should meet them too! Hiro is just so cute! And call Kanae too. She'll love him. So what's up?" Mizue asked, finally calming down.
"I have no idea what's going on." Sho said.
"Neither do I." I sighed.
"Sachi and Kenji are our friends. Hiro is their nine month old son and our godchild. The last time we saw them was when Hiro was about two months. Mizue absolutely adores him which is why she's so excited." Reino rolled his eyes, smiling.
"Like you aren't crazy about him too. Reino loves the boy like he's his own son. He spoils him." Mizue grinned.
"And yet he likes you more. I just don't get it." Reino huffed.
"Hey! I can't help it if everybody loves me." Mizue said giving a dramatic flip of the hair. I laughed when she winked at me.
"Well somehow you were always good with kids. I'm serious. There is no kid out there that dislikes Mizue. It's weird." Reino joked.
"Will someone please tell me who this is?" Sho said pointing at Mizue. We really are forgetting about him a lot.
"I'm Mizue Seki. And Reino here is my baby brother." she said ruffling his hair.
"You're only two years older. That hardly makes me a baby." Reino pouted, fixing his hair a little.
"Well your pout says differently. So cute." I said that last part in a babyish voice while pinching one of his cheeks. He scrunched his face but kissed my palm and then smiled.
"Wow." Sho said staring at the two of us.
"I know right? This has only been going on for like what, two days? They aren't even official yet." Mizue said grinning.
"Actually they became official like ten seconds before you came out here." Sho said.
"Oh. Damn. I wanted to see him ask her. Was it stupid?" Mizue asked him.
"No. Actually it was pretty cute." Sho said. What?
"How are you taking this so coolly?" I asked.
"He's been around Mizue for over a minute already. Her weirdness is highly contagious." Reino said. I laughed but Reino wasn't smiling at all.
"I'm not joking. How do you think I ending up like I did?" he asked. Mizue nodded in agreement. Sho seemed to snap a little, though.
"Okay. You know what? Maybe I'm just in shock. I mean a lot has happened in only five minutes. This guy comes and now he and Kyoko are dating, Reino isn't what I thought he was at all, and he has a sister who is actually pretty cool. Weird obviously, but cool. Maybe I should just leave and absorb everything." he said starting to back up.
"How nice! But you should stay! You could meet Hiro!" Mizue stated. Sho's eye's widened.
"I don't think-"
"I wasn't asking you. Frankly you all need to just suck everything up and be friends. If you actually got to know each other then I think Reino and Sho will be best friends. One day. Not today. But one day." Mizue said walking back into the building.
"Uummm…okay. So who's in the mood for a smoothie, or something?" I asked.
"Uh…sure. I could use something cold right now. For some reason cold drinks help me think sometimes." Sho said, shrugging.
"Really? Me too." Reino said, pensive.
"Oh. That's cool, I guess." Sho said. I grinned. Perfect. They have something in common. And I managed to get us on a casual topic.
As the three of us started walking towards the stairs that lead down to the elevators Reino whispered into my ear, "I know what you're doing. And even though I'm still a bit hesitant about him, I think Mizue's right."
I grinned and said, "Well I know Mizue's right. You'd be surprised how similar you two are." Now that I think about there are several little similarities between Reino and Sho but they are also so different that they are hard to see.
"So where's this smoothie place you mentioned?" Sho asked.
..:~: Ren's POV :~:..
…Um. Okay. What the hell is going on?
"Oh. Hi Mr. Tsuruga!" Kyoko waved from a table in the cafeteria. I just stared at the two people sitting with her. Particularly at the blonde one.
"Hi. What's going on here?" I asked. Mr. Yashiro would be having a heart attack if he were here but luckily he decided to get a cab back home and told me to think about things. Basically that means no driving allowed while I'm thinking. It's rather fatal.
"Oh. We're just hanging out. By the way have you seen Mizue? She kind of disappeared after she met us on the roof." Reino asked.
"No. So why exactly is Fuwa here? Reino I understand but him?" I asked. Today is just full of surprises. (Man you have NO idea. *cheshire grin*)
"It's pretty much the same thing with Reino. We all decided to just start over. So what better way than to start with something we have in common?" Kyoko said sipping from her straw rather cutely.
"Smoothies?" I asked.
"Hey. Everyone loves smoothies. And apparently cold drinks help that guy and I think, so it's another thing we have in common." Fuwa said pointing at Reino.
"So you're all seriously just…hanging out?" I asked.
"Yup. Wanna join?" Surprisingly it was Reino who asked that.
"I don't kno-"
"Too late. I already got you something. Sit." Mizue said popping out of no where. The other's and I jumped while she grabbed my hand and sat me down next to Fuwa and handed me my drink. Fuwa and I shuffled uncomfortably and Mizue said, "Grow up. Idiots."
Then she got an extra chair from another table and at herself down next to me. She handed me a plastic cup filled with a red, semi frozen substance.
"What is this." I said staring at my drink which happened to be the same color as hers.
"Strawberry pomegranate. Trust me. It's good." She said sipping her smoothie.
"Where do you come from all of a sudden. Does she do this all the time?" I asked hesitantly taking a sip.
Huh. It's not bad.
"Yeah. I've lived with her all my life and I'm still not used to it." Reino said. I noticed one of his arms were around Kyoko's shoulders.
"So I have a question." Mizue said. We all turned to her.
"Reino. I know you already have a song right now but don't you think you should write another one to introduce your band? A less sad one? I mean before your band just a copy of Sho's but you guys are going to do your own style so shouldn't you?" she asked tilting her head. It was kind of cute the way she did that.
"Yeah. I've been thinking about it. We've decided to not break up the band though. Before there wasn't really much of a reason to be a singer but it's growing on me." he said quietly.
"So you have an idea yet?" Sho asked.
"Not exactly. Usually when I get a burst of inspiration it doesn't happen twice in one day after the moment passes." Reino said, frustrated.
"Yeah. That song was bit…shattering. It's disturbing to think guys like that exist in the world." Sho said. We all were silent for a moment.
"By the way what did you think of the song Reino wrote for you?" Mizue asked Sho. Reino wrote Sho a song?
"What song?" Sho asked.
"This one. I'm not done though. And…try not to hit me if you get mad." Reino said carefully. Sho looked at him weirdly but took the paper. Reino looked worried.
Well, terrified actually so he partially hid behind Kyoko. The girls snickered while I read the lyrics over Sho's shoulder.
I used to laugh it off
I used to look the other way
I used to save them troubles for another day
I kept my fingers crossed
I used to never take the blame
I'd pull a sunshine story in a pouring rain
The more I had to change I'd just stay the same
(The same, the same, I stayed the same)
You don't know what you got till you're missing it a lot
I had to go throw it away
I was wrong from the start from the bottom of my heart I apologize
What I did to you was hurtful
What I'm going through is hurtful
Wow. Am I the only one who finds this familiar?
"So this is basically a song about me and Kyoko." Sho said slowly.
"Yeah." Mizue said. Thought so.
Reino still looked scared but he wasn't hiding behind Kyoko anymore.
"You surprise me man. This is…perfect." Sho said, amazed. It kind of is.
"Really?" Reino asked.
"Yeah. This is exactly how I feel. What's it for anyway?" She asked.
"It's for you. Kind of my way of apologizing for that thing-"
"Oh! I get it. You really don't have to though." She said smiling a little. (Just in case you don't know what they're talking about, I'll tell you. Remember Vie Ghoul's first song? It was Sho's, right? So Reino wrote a song for Sho as a peace offering of sorts.)
"Just take it, Sho. It wouldn't fit with anyone else." Kyoko said grinning at him.
"What are you guys talking about?" I asked. (If Ren knows about the stolen song in the manga then pretend he doesn't here.)
"Don't worry about it." Mizue said. I was about to protest but she gave me this look that stopped me immediately. There was something about that look that stirred something in the pit of my stomach. What is that?
"God. This is still so weird. First Kyoko becomes a mature, semi normal teen. Reino seems like a pretty cool guy and his hair is black. Is still don't know why. And now I'm friends with all of you. Well not you but at least we're not trying to kill each other." Sho said to me. Well he is true. This really is weird. It's like a dream. I'm not even upset at the obvious attraction between Kyoko and Reino.
Mizue then brought out her phone.
"Hey guys. Wow. Look at this crowd." Kanae said with the rest of the Vie Ghoul crew behind her.
"Hey! You guys are just in time. Sachi and Hiro are here!" Mizue said getting really excited.
"Finally!" all of Vie Ghoul said. Mizue jumped up and started walking rather quickly towards a woman and a little boy. Everyone followed her.
"Sachi!" Mizue and Reino said giving her a hug. The few people in the Café looked at them.
"Hey Hiro! You're walking!" Reino said squatting a little and holding out his fist to the kid, Hiro. Was he seriously going to fist pump the kid?
Hiro raised his tiny fist and lightly tapped it to Reino's with a big grin. Okay then. (My nephew does this. He is the cutest baby boy/toddler in the world!)
Reino opened his arms for the kid to come into but Mizue did the same thing and he went into her arms instead. Everyone laughed when Reino pouted at the boy and Kyoko patted his head.
Mizue just stuck her tongue out at him and said, "I told you he loves me more!" She played with the little boys tiny fingers and he started playing with her hair. Reino and the others smiled when they saw them and started speaking with the woman, Sachi.
I just stared at Mizue though. I could tell she loved the kid a lot. Her smile and her eyes are so gentle. Her whole demeanor makes it seem as if she was his mother. But the kid looks almost nothing like her, seeing as he is blonde and brown eyed, so you really can't mix them together.
"He's a cute little guy." I said smiling at the two. Mizue looked up and grinned.
"Yeah. Hiro, this is Ren Tsuruga. You can call him Uncle Ren." she said to him. Hiro looked at me and said, "W-ren." Mizue and I laughed. Her laugh…
"Okay! It's my turn." Reino said holding out his hands for Hiro who this time gladly went to him. Mizue and Sachi grinned watching Reino introduce Sho, Kyoko, and Kanae to Hiro.
Kiro got Sho and Kanae right for the most part but when he tried to say Kyoko's name this is what he said, "Coco." Everyone laughed again and Hiro clapped his hand adorably. Kyoko asked if she could hold him and, as if he could understand her, Hiro reached out for her. She grinned and started talking and playing with him.
"That's strange. Hiro normally doesn't let people he just met hold him." Sachi said.
"Well I've only known Kyoko for two days and she's already like a sister to me. And look at Reino." Reino was gazing at Kyoko so…tenderly.
"He loves her." Sachi said confidently. Mizue glanced at me before saying, "He really does." Then they started talking about something else but I wasn't listening. I could only think about what Mizue's look meant.
It seemed as if she was warning me. Like if I tried to come between them then she's make sure I paid for it. Then there was this almost pleading glimmer in her eyes that said, "Please don't hurt him." I looked at Reino again. Kyoko was still holding Hiro but Reino slightly held her and Hiro seemed to be comfortably in both of their arms. They almost looked like a family.
I am in love with Kyoko.
So why isn't my heart breaking at the sight of her and Reino together?
I'm really not sure what you'll think of this chapter. I think it's okay but i'd really like to know what you think. By the way the characters might start being more OOC than usual so i just want to give you a heads up.