Hi again! Once again, Sorry this took so long to get posted! Work has gotten very hectic lately and I haven't had much time to write. Thanks again to all of you who have been with me since the start and Thanks to all my new readers for the reviews! I am aware that there are a few plot holes involving Ren and Ayame but I had intended to make a few changes with that relationship but then it completely unraveled my Sho/Kyoko plot and well then the whole story so it kinda had to stay the way it was. Anywho, here's the new chapter.
Sho stared across the table at Kyoko, brows furrowed as he looked on at her blank face as she stared outside the window. The two sat at the table in their suite, food untouched between them, silence heavy in the air. The pair sat in pale blue yukatas with small white flowers noted throughout it.
Kyoko sat with her back straight as always, arms limp at her side as she leaned her head back against the wall. A calm sadness fell across her face as she sighed and continued to stare out the window at the ryokan garden.
Sho shook his head to clear the cobwebs as he sat up straight, preparing for the conversation ahead. Clearing his throat, Sho caught her attention and watched as Kyoko blinked a few times, life returning to her eyes as she looked around her.
"Oh! The food's getting cold! Why haven't you eaten any?!" Kyoko scolded as she stared down at the food arranged just as she knew it would be, a sweet nostalgic smile resting onto her lips.
"I could ask you the same thing." Sho retorted, leaning forward and angling towards her as she said her blessing and began her meal. "You've been awfully quiet all morning; care to share what's on your mind?"
Refusing to look up at Sho, Kyoko merely popped a bite of fish and rice into her mouth as she shook her head and continued to stare at the food before them.
"Fine, I'll just have to eat it all so that you have nothing else to ignore me for!" Sho declared, grabbing his own pair of chopsticks and devouring the food before him.
Kyoko let out a frantic squeal as she watched him devour his food. Kyoko reached forward and hunched down over her food as she used her other hand to eat and protect her own food.
Sho burst out laughing, pieces of rice unceremoniously landing on the table before him and he fell to the side, grabbing the table for support as he laughed.
Kyoko poked her head up at him, confusion shimmering in her eyes as her lips were pursed around her chopsticks. Collecting himself, Sho brought his laughter to the last few chuckles as he wiped his eyes and looked down at Kyoko again. Laughter was muffled behind his lips as he stared down at her once again. There she sat, yukata hanging off her left shoulder as her elbow rested on the table, arm wrapping around her plates protectively. Her upper body was protecting the two closest plates while her right arm curved around the right side, wrist bent at a strange angle to be able to use the chopsticks.
Realizing why Sho was laughing, Kyoko shot upright while fixing her clothes and proceeded grab Sho's bread and throw it at him.
"Hey! Why are you throwing my food at me?!"
"Cause I can't throw mine" Kyoko huffed as their hands fought for the food at the table. "I'm still hungry!"
Laughter spread through the room when the two finally reached a stalemate. Sho and Kyoko's wrists were crossed before them, each grabbing hold of the others arms and panting as they tried to catch their breath and stop laughing.
"Truce?" Sho gasped as his laughter calmed down. Kyoko merely nodded in agreement as she too struggled to stop her laughter and calm down.
Kyoko released Sho's wrist and began to pull back as Sho slowly released Kyoko, allowing her to sit back in her chair, hand releasing hers slowly as he too fell back against his chair.
Unconsciously rubbing his one hand, Sho let out a long breath before speaking. "Seriously Kyoko, what's going on in your head right now?"
Kyoko's chuckles died out as she shrugged and shook her head, a sad kind of smile settling into place.
"Honestly, I was thinking about here." Kyoko replied, staring up at him eyes missing their usual fight and sparkle. "I was thinking about our childhood and how much I enjoyed it here at the ryokan with your parents."
"You're thinking about my dad's offer aren't you?"
"It makes sense." Kyoko replied quietly, eyes looking back out towards the courtyard. "If I can't continue acting, I might as well come back to the only home I've known." Kyoko smiled lightly as she turned to face Sho, "Besides, it'd be a shame to put all that training your mother gave me to waste"
"How can you just give up?!" Sho exclaimed jumping forward to lean across the table as he spoke.
"What am I supposed to do? I'm under age, I can't fight my mother the LAWYER, I lose. I might as well try and find a way to be happy." Kyoko retorted back, leaning over the table herself as she got angry.
"I need to take a walk" Sho exclaimed, standing and heading towards the door, pausing at the door he bowed his head down as he called back to Kyoko "Don't make any rash decisions yet, you're not alone in this anymore. Try to remember that". The door slid closed with a gentle thud as Kyoko was left in the silent room.
The food was gone but there were remnants of food particles across the table and on the floor from their "fight". Feeling ashamed of acting like a child, Kyoko began to slowly pick up the food particles and get them back on the trays and plates. She was so lost in her thoughts while cleaning she never heard the knock on the door or the waitress enter. Kyoko was startled out of her thoughts as she felt a gentle hand on her wrist, stopping her cleaning. The young waitress apologized as she told her to please not bother, she could handle that on her own.
Kyoko nodded her head towards the girl as the dishes were taken away and Kyoko stood, excusing herself from the room. Kyoko walked down the halls silently shuffling her feet along the carpeted halls as she smiled and nodded politely at the other guests and at the staff. Sitting down on a bench in the center of the ryokan garden, Kyoko looked around herself at the serenity of the place.
It's just so quiet here, it's nice and peaceful. Kyoko thought as she watched a family shuffle by on the porch, parents walking calmly as the children scampered ahead. My life has become so fast paced, could I really enjoy myself here?
Silence continued to waft over Kyoko as she sat, lost in thought. Moisture landing on her hand caught her attention as she looked down at the offensive droplet. Looking above her, Kyoko didn't see a single cloud above her as she felt another droplet fall onto her hand, which is when she realized the moisture was her own tear. Raising her hand lightly, Kyoko felt the tears on her cheeks, unsure how long she had been sitting there or how long she had been crying.
Kyoko's mind wandered as she tried to understand her own thoughts when the sounds of yelling echoed into the garden, disrupting the usual peace. Kyoko stood up and stalked off towards the disturbance, hoping to calm the disagreement and return peace to the Fuwa's ryokan.
Kyoko continued twisting and turning through the hallways, following the voices. Kyoko's brow furrowed as she noted the voices ere coming from the main office. Approaching the office she noted the door was not all the way closed which is why the argument was carrying so far through the building.
"This is NOT YOUR CONCERN" Kyoko heard Sho's father yell through the doorway.
"You're blackmailing her into coming back here, that makes it MY CONCERN" Kyoko's eyes widened in shock as she heard the two men fighting, Sho has never spoken back to his father before. Their rash act to run away was his first and only act of defiance against him.
"Well considering your choices, we need someone else to leave the ryokan to and we've already started her training."
"You have plenty of loyal staff who would be willing and honored to be your successors. WHY HER?!"
"Why does not involve you. This is OUR choice. We don't have an heir anymore, so this the choice your mother and I made"
"So instead of punishing me, you've found a way to punish her?! Fine! You want an heir, you'll have an heir." Confusion riddled Kyoko's face as she tried to imagine what Sho could be doing. All she could hear was the shuffling of fabric. "Here's my manager's number, feel free to call her and tell her I'm done. I'm here to stay, so sign her goddamn papers!"
A slam caught both men off-guard as the door flew open and a dark aura enveloped the office. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Kyoko bellowed as she slammed the door behind her as she stormed towards the men.
"First of all your yelling can be heard throughout the ENTIRE inn. Second" Kyoko continued, turning to face Sho, "your father is right, this is NOT YOUR CONCERN. If you quit then what?! What good does that do?! Not only would I never be able to beat you but your entire fanbase would hate me forever and I'd never make it as an actress anyway!" Poking and prodding him in the chest as he backed up Kyoko continued to verbally wail on him as his father excused himself. "You just told me I wasn't alone in this fight." Tears began to well in the corner of her eyes as her volume lowered to only a whisper. "How do you expect me to fight against her when you're trapped here?!" Staring up at him, tears pouring out of her eyes Kyoko hiccupped briefly before she continued "How could you think I'd enjoy my life knowing you gave up yours for it? Why would you do that?" Kyoko begged, leaning forward to get an answer. "You told me I was the only person with a chance to defeat you! And now you're taking that away, how could you!" Kyoko wailed as she began to bang her fists against his chest. "You said we were in this together, you made me your rival! Everything you've ever told me was a lie! I should never have trusted yo-!" Kyoko's eyes shot open as Sho swooped down and fiercely kissed her.
Sho's hand flew up to cup her cheek as he poured his heart into his kiss, praying that for just once he could get through to her. Sho pulled back slowly as he opened her eyes and found her stunned into silence as her tears slowed. "I know I lied to you in the past and used you, but everything I've said to you since you joined LME has been the truth. The reason I told you that you could defeat me is because you're the only person who could ever make me stop my career. I'm doing this for you Kyoko because I love you." Sho could only let out a sad chuckle as he looked down at her, "I know you didn't believe me when I said it before but I will do anything and everything to stop your mom from making you cry ever again." Sho gently wiped away her tears and then gently placed his hand on the top of her head as he tilted his forehead down to hers. "You're such a plain, boring, oblivious girl and more than I could ever hope to deserve" Placing a light kiss on her forehead Sho released her and walked off. "I'm going to go find my parents, clean yourself up before you go out, you look like a mess" Sho chuckled as he lightly waved back at her as the door closed behind her.
Kyoko slid down to the floor as all her emotions left her exhausted. Gently wiping her tears away, Kyoko was oblivious to the slight shuffling noise as the back door to the office slid shut.
Standing Sho's mother turned to face her spouse. "Well, what do we do now dear?"
"He has grown a lot in the time since he left. He passes. I gave you my word I'd give him a chance to prove himself. Hand me the pen." Sho's father scribbled his signature down on the contract before them. "You know this is just the beginning of their fight right? Saena is no push-over."
"I know but it's up to them now" Sho's mother sighed as she gave her husband a sweet smile before walking back down the hall to tend to their guests.
I'm starting to work on the next one now and hopefully it will be the last one if I can figure out how to end it . Thanks again for reading and please review!