As You Wish: Almost Confessions
In a secluded hallway of TBM Studios a battle of man vs. himself was reaching epic proportions. Tsuruga Ren snapped his phone shut for the fourth time…in the last ten minutes. If he was honest with himself it was the twenty-third time that day, but who was counting really? It wasn't like he had been unable to get last night out of his mind. His dinner with Kyoko and the borderline erotic dream that followed hadn't been constantly floating to the surface of his thoughts all day. No, he wasn't near to losing his composure trying to fight the lustful expressions that apparently crossed his features every time a memory invaded.
He was early for his television appearance because his photo shoot that afternoon had been rescheduled. The model he was working with fainted into a nearly comatose state. But it wasn't caused by the look he gave her when he had stared into her eyes and a flashback of Kyoko's eyelids fluttering shut took over. Why did they have the shoot set up on a balcony anyway? Why didn't they pick a healthier model? She was probably weak from trying to diet like so many models do these days.
It wasn't his fault she fainted, even though everyone on set joked that it was. They were all wrong. He had absolutely not been staring into her eyes deeply with a look of pure sex on his face while he thought about a teenage girl. Nope, not at all, not one little bit. Ren sighed and snapped his phone shut again. So much for being honest with myself.
"Kyoko…" Sho didn't know what to say. He'd questioned some stage hands and found out that the girl who played Bo would probably be in this room so he rushed over under the pretense of just wanting to meet her. He didn't need to try hard to convince the staff that he was a Bo fan because the excitement on his face from the prospect of catching Kyoko in a giant chicken suit had easily been misinterpreted by everyone, including Shoko. But now his fun was ruined.
Sho took a step toward her and was shocked when she suddenly jumped up and took a defensive stance across from him. Where were her grudges when she needed them? The last thing she wanted was for Fuwa Sho's twisted thoughts in her head and she definitely didn't want to feel him. Suppressing a shiver, she began frantically searching for a blunt object to bash him over the head with before the curse had time to take affect but she couldn't find anything.
What is this idiot doing?
"Who are you calling an idiot, idiot?" she yelled outraged.
"What are you talking about? I didn't say anything." Something is seriously wrong with her. Why was she crying?
"There's nothing wrong with me and stop talking about me like I'm not the only person in the room with you!"
Sho looked at her shocked and more than a little worried. "Kyoko, I didn't say anything."
She wanted to yell at him and tell him to stop playing childish games because she'd heard him clearly, but the look in his eyes halted her words. He really didn't say anything did he? This was different from before when she felt people's raw emotions and had visions of their deepest desires, now she was hearing his actual thoughts. She was losing her mind. No, maybe this is the curse. What was it Orihime said? The more I try to fight it the stronger it will take over. But I can't just let him in either. It's too much. I can't handle anymore of this today. I need to get away from him as quickly as possible.
She headed for the door quickly. "Just forget about it Sho I have to go change out of the costume." She tried to walk around him but he wouldn't be blown off that easily.
"How can I just forget it? Why were you crying?" Who made you cry?
"No one."
"What do you mean no one?"
No, I did it again! "I meant nothing. It was nothing."
She pushed past him out the door but he grabbed her wing pulling her to him and his hand swiftly came towards her face. She flinched unconsciously but was surprised when he gently rubbed the tear streaks off her cheek. His voice was almost gentle when he spoke.
"It's not nothing. No matter how much you yell and curse me I'm still the person who knows you best and you haven't cried this way in a long time. Anything that can make you cry like that is not nothing."
Kyoko slumped against the wall. Everything that had happened over the last two days had worn her defenses and she was emotionally spent. Hikaru's face before he left flashed in her mind and an overwhelming sadness and guilt swept through her. Would they ever be able to go back to the way things were?
"What did it feel like?" Her voice was barely audible.
"What?" Sho asked confused at her sudden question.
"When you broke my heart. What did it feel like?"
"I…Kyoko?" He didn't know what to say. His mind was a total blank.
Snapping out of her thoughts Kyoko realized that she had just accidentally almost confided in her worst enemy. Deciding that she couldn't afford to be near him any longer she removed his hand from her face.
"Forget it. Just stop pretending to care. We both know the only person you comfort for free is Mimori and I have no interest in being in your debt."
She once again tried to walk around him but was stopped when his arms wrapped around her awkwardly.
How can you say that? Don't you get it? It's only easy with Mimori because she's not you. She's not the one I lo-
"Get off me Sho!" Kyoko shouted panicked by what she almost heard him thinking. She pushed him off her and luckily he was shocked enough that she was able to run to her dressing room before he stopped her.
Kyoko sat in front of the mirror now back in her school uniform trying to block out what had just happened with Sho. It's not possible. He can't have been about to say lo...lo…that. Even when I lo…felt that for him he wouldn't say it. Maybe he was about to say lost or loath. Yes, that makes sense. I'm the person he loathes that's why he could never be comforting. Yes, that's it.
Breathing a sigh of relief Kyoko wheeled the Bo costume to the storage closet laughing at her foolish belief that he was about to say he lo…felt that for anyone but himself. It was ridiculous now that she thought about it. Her laughter was short lived however when she came back into the hallway and the subject of her thoughts was standing right in front of her.
"We need to talk."
Tsuruga Ren had been in the midst of losing the battle against himself, which was surprising considering who his opponent was, when he remembered that it was Friday and his mind thought of the surprisingly insightful feathered mascot he usually saw around this time. So, as annoying as he found it to need guidance from a chicken, Ren went in search of his animal advisor. However, when he turned a corner towards the hallway they had met in more than once, he heard a familiar voice that made his heart skip a beat and another familiar voice that made his blood boil.
"I already told it was nothing, why can't you just drop it?"
"What did you mean by no one?"
"What?"
"When I asked you why you were crying you said no one. Was it that two-bit actor? That playboy Tsuruga?"
"Shut up Shotaro! Tsuruga-san is not a playboy!"
"I bet you would know a lot about playboys with the company you've been keeping lately."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I heard about what happened at your school today."
"That's none of your business Sho!" Kyoko shouted unable to fight back the embarrassed blush that tinted her cheeks. Sho saw her reaction and his anger immediately grew.
"Like hell it isn't! What are you doing hanging around guys like Kaizo anyway? I never thought you'd sink so low that you let yourself become another notch on that guy's belt."
Ren was fuming. Once again Fuwa had managed to corner Kyoko and they created an atmosphere where they only knew what was going on and no one else could interfere. What was he talking about? Why had she been crying? And who was this Kaizo and what had Fuwa heard about him and Kyoko? He made it sound as if they… no, that wasn't possible.
"I haven't become a notch on anyone's belt and I would never try to be with a jerk like him!"
"Yea? So what's with suddenly wearing your skirt short trying to attract attention? Pochi told me about the scene you made and what you did to her." You should never have gone near him! You belong to me! Not that wanna be model or that pretty boy actor! You're mine! "And then I find you crying. What's going on with you Kyoko?"
But Kyoko never got a chance to answer him. His possessive jealousy and the remembrance of the events earlier that day struck a chord in her and it was a pair of cold, slanted eyes that looked up at him tauntingly.
"Pochi told me this, Pochi told me that. What's wrong Fuwa-san are you jealous that this time you weren't the one who got your girlfriend all wet? Or is it someone else who's place you wish to take?" She slid her leg up with her foot against the wall, exposing her smooth thigh to his shocked eyes. Natsu laughed at his sudden speechlessness. "For someone who doesn't like my short skirt you can't seem to take you eyes off of it. Or is it the skirt you want to take off of-"
"Mogami-san!"
The two looked up into the gentleman smile of Tsuruga Ren. Kyoko flushed dark red and removed her foot from the wall trying in vain to cover more of her legs with the skirt. Sho scowled, angry at once again being interrupted by the actor. What was he stalking her or something? Yes, Sho had been dumbstruck by the sudden change in Kyoko but the last thing he wanted was for this guy to show up.
"What are you doing here Tsuruga? Decided to take a scenic tour of the back hallways?" Sho asked venomously.
Ren's smile brightened. "I was actually looking for a friend of mine but I'm glad I ran into you Mogami-san. There's something I wanted to discuss with you."
Kyoko didn't need the curse to feel the hate waves radiating off of Ren at that moment. Even with her grudges mysteriously disappearing she could tell he was angrier than she had probably ever seen him.
"So...something you wanted to discuss w...with me Tsuruga-san?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yes, it's about the interviews for the Dark Moon DVD we were talking about last night at dinner." He lied smoothly making sure to put emphasis on the fact that they'd had dinner together. If he judged by Sho's narrowed eyes and clenched fist the young singer had definitely noticed.
Kyoko was at first relieved that it wasn't about what happened between them the previous night, but when he mentioned their dinner she was reluctant to be alone with him in case the subject came up.
"Actually Tsuruga-san I was on my way home."
"Well I have a small television appearance to film and then I can drive you."
"But-"
"I insist Mogami-san." The gentleman smile had returned in full force and Kyoko had no choice but to nod her agreement.
He held his arm out as if ushering her to walk ahead of him toward the studio. As they turned to leave Sho called out to Kyoko making them stop and put their focus back on the singer.
"About what you asked me in the room... I regret it more and more each day." And one day I'll make it up to you.
Kyoko silently walked off with Ren desperately wanting to ask what that cryptic statement meant. The shocked and pensive look on the face of the woman he loved made him feel like something monumental had just passed in front of his eyes and he had somehow missed it. Ren went to his last job with only one thought in his head: Before this night is over I have to wipe Fuwa Sho from her mind.
Author's Corner: I'm so sorry for the accidental hiatus this story took. I tried to put enough good things in this chapter to satisfy the angry hoards and perhaps save me from the guillotine… It is now 4:43am and this burst of inspiration is thanks to Muse. Not the mythical creatures, the band Muse. I have them looping on my MP3. Also thanks to Jhiz for waiting up for me to send you my embarrassing first copy and giving me your analysis on Sho. I definitely am more satisfied with this version.
I will try to update this story soon but the next time you hear from me will be my Hikaru challenge (I can hear you Jhiz, yes FINALLY!) So…see you around.