Sad Eyes
Summary: Kyoko was unprepared when Ren made the mistake of showing his true feelings, and she ran away. Now she is more mature, but is unwilling to forgive herself for her childish action. Will Ren be able to win his way back to her side before another steals her heart?
Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat! or any of the manga's characters. All of the rest is the invention of my odd, restless mind.
Chapter 21 – "Our Island"
"Cut!" The Director sang out with a sigh of resignation. "Okay, that's it for the day. Wrap it up here and we'll have a cast meeting in ten minutes."
The other actors and actresses looked at Hizuri Kuu with a mixture of annoyance and amused tolerance. Kuu was famous for his concentration on the set, and he had one of the lowest NG records in Hollywood… until today. On this fateful day he couldn't seem to make it through a single scene unscathed, and even when he did, his acting had the stunted quality of a novice. Nobody blamed him, really. It isn't every day that a son who had disappeared seven years ago suddenly reappears under a new name. It isn't every day that the son who vanished as a punk kid with a bad reputation suddenly reappears as the top actor in Japan. And it certainly isn't every day that the missing son reappears in order to announce his engagement to an equally mysterious young starlet. How could anyone concentrate?
Kuu seemed oblivious to everyone else as he sat in his designated chair and read through the various articles that popped up in the morning papers. He, his wife, and his son were prominently featured. There were also articles about Kuon's past; the reporters had spent the night searching through archives to dredge up all of the dirt on the teen's not-so-brilliant adolescence. Every spot and blemish on his record had been presented for public consumption.
There was only one article on Mogami Kyoko in the Los Angeles paper. As a Japanese actress she was almost a total unknown in the United States… almost. It turned out that she already had a cult following among the younger set. The Internet and streaming videos had opened the world's eyes to films from every nation. Dark Moon had long-since been subtitled into a multitude of languages. With its dark story, beautiful stars, and deeply romantic moments it had become almost as well known in the U.S. as it was in Japan. Of course, that was only with the "plugged in" high school and college crowd. The reporters were mostly too old or too busy to spend time on the streaming sites. It was a young intern at the L.A. Times who first recognized the name of Mogami Kyoko on the previous evening.
Sarah McKeever was sitting against the wall in a bull session in the Editor's meeting room when Robert Toliver, who had a prominent place at the table, said, "I don't think that we need to waste copy space on the girl. Nobody in the United States would even know or recognize… what was her name…" he shuffled through his papers and then grunted in satisfaction, "here it is… Mogami Kyoko…" He didn't get to finish his sentence because there was suddenly a loud "REALLY!" from one of the staffers against the wall. Toliver looked annoyed and was about to make a biting comment when the Editor raised up a hand for silence.
"Sarah… isn't it? Does the name of Mogami Kyoko mean anything to you?" The Editor was a stern man with an explosive temper, but he had a soft spot in his heart for the young intern because she looked like his own daughter.
"Y-yes Sir." Sarah stuttered, red faced. She looked like she wanted to go and find a place to hide at that moment.
The Editor raised an amused eyebrow, "Would you kindly share your information with the rest of us?"
Sarah saw his kind look and it gave her the confidence to straighten her back and respond more confidently, "Yes Sir. Mogami Kyoko is actually well known in college circles. As a matter of fact, there are even posters of one of her characters in dorm rooms… perhaps… if I could just use your computer?" The Editor nodded and rolled his chair to the side so that the intern could reach the laptop at the head of the conference room table. The laptop was plugged into the overhead projector, so her efforts were immediately visible on the large screen. Everyone else in the room watched with a mixture of impatience and curiosity as the cute intern rapidly typed out a URL. She opened up a popular site featuring foreign dramas and clicked on the "Most Watched" button. Dark Moon was at the top of the list, and she clicked on it.
Robert Toliver paid attention for the first time as he saw the photo's of the different stars. "That's Hizuri Kuu. Wait, I have notes on this series…"
The Editor spoke quietly but firmly, "Robert, please allow Sarah to finish."
Sarah, oblivious to the byplay, smiled triumphantly as the screen changed to feature Mio. The page was filled with different photographs of the angry, scarred young lady. Despite her angry features and damaged face there was still a strong appeal… or perhaps charisma, that came through even in photographs. But still…
"She's not quite what I would have expected the son of Julie Swan to choose." One of the other male reporters commented, "She's not even beautiful…"
Sarah had forgotten her low status and her nervousness for the moment, so she didn't hesitate to interrupt, "Wait! Before you say that, let me click on her fan-page… there!"
Now the image of Mio was joined by images of the seductive Natsu, the stunning angel, and a "sighting" photograph of the sultry, rebellious Setsu. Sarah smiled at the changed expressions on the people in the room, especially the men. "The last photograph… this punk-girl character… is not certain. One of the students in my dorm in Stanford was in Japan two years ago when they were filming a movie named "Death is Waiting for You,"* about a serial killer and he saw her standing on the sidelines…"
"Then why did he think she was Mogami Kyoko?" The Editor prompted.
"Here, Let me show you," Sarah clicked on the link titled "golden eyes" and waited for the page to open. "Mogami Kyoko completely transforms with every new character she plays, but for some reason they never change her eye color. The image on the screen changed every two seconds, featuring a close-up of the actresses startling, almost-golden eyes. "As you can see, they're the same."
The Editor smiled and made a gesture to indicate that he wanted to resume his spot at the table, "Thank you, Sarah. Since you seem to have your finger on the pulse of this young lady, why don't you go ahead and write me an article introducing her to the U.S.?"
Everyone at the table and against the walls had sat up in surprise at the Editor's words. He never allowed novice reporters to write feature articles, and certainly not college interns. Sarah was aware of this as well, but she managed to gulp out an affirmative response before resuming her place against the wall.
Hizuri Kuu was re-reading that article now as he waited for the staff meeting. The young reporter had done a good job, and Kuu was as proud as any father as he read the glowing article about his "second Kuon." This was the real reason for his distraction. He was glad that his son had finally come out of the shadows, of course; but he was more excited about the fact that his son had finally captured the heart of the wonderful young lady he had met more than two years before. Kuu had kept up a regular correspondence with Kyoko since his return to the U.S. until the day that she had disappeared. He had agonized almost as much as his son, wondering if she would ever return to their lives. He had guessed what was in his taciturn son's heart, and he had already accepted that Mogami Kyoko would become a part of the family. Now, after eighteen long months, Kuon had won the day and the heart of Kyoko.
"We're starting, Mr. Hizuri," the key grip called out. Kuu reluctantly laid down the newspaper and walked into the meeting area.
The Director, along with everyone else, looked at Kuu when he walked in. The short, slight, balding man cleared his throat and spoke, "I'll get right to the point, Kuu. I don't think that your mind is all here at this moment." He paused to allow the barely suppressed chuckles to subside, "I think that we all agree that your mind is in Japan right now… understandably. So I've spoken with the producers and they have agreed: You have a week off, Kuu. Go see your son and your future daughter-in-law so that you can come back here and concentrate on your work… Okay?"
Kuu smiled gratefully, apologized to everyone, and walked to his trailer as rapidly as his long legs would carry him. On the way he pulled out his cell phone and hit speed-dial "1." Julie's voice answered on the first ring, "The Director called me already, Kuu. I'm packing our bags right now."
Nishikawa Chisato listened respectfully as Kyoko ran through her list of "little details" concerning the job of greeting and serving guests. Chisato was an accomplished young lady with a strong sense of pride, but she felt no qualms about receiving instruction from this actress who was two years her junior. For one thing, she had seen Kyoko in action as the okami-san. Watching Kyoko move around in her kimono and serve customers was almost like watching a period-movie. Every movement, every gesture seemed choreographed and graceful. When Chisato moved in her kimono she shuffled. When Kyoko moved she glided. Every tiny gesture, even down to the "expression" of her fingertips, was perfect.
Chisato might have felt a burning jealousy if it weren't for Kyoko's attitude. When Chisato had bemoaned her own gracelessness, Kyoko had shared the story of her intense childhood training: the hours of discomfort, the tears in private, and the repeated admonishments about perfection. Kyoko's own training had lasted for years under what must have been a harsh task-master. Chisato understood then that all perfection comes at a dear price. Still, she couldn't help but envy the younger girl's perfect posture and dancer's grace. One comfort was the other two young ladies who worked for the ryokan. They had taken a liking to Chisato, and they repeatedly assured her that they had also started out feeling terribly clumsy and awkward. She watched them now, moving around the dining hall, and was impressed. If they're telling the truth, then they must have made considerable progress. Be strong, Chisato; you can do this.
Kyoko felt uncomfortable admonishing this slightly older woman who would soon be the rightful okami-san, but she knew that she must. "Nishikawa-san, we need to talk about earlier, when Hitomi Jiro arrived." Hitomi Jiro was a very recognizable, handsome actor who starred on many television dramas. Chisato and Kyoko had been on-hand to greet him when he arrived, and Chisato had become very flushed and flustered. Kyoko, ever the picture of calm and composure, had saved the day, which only made Chisato feel more humiliated. Kyoko could see that, but she still needed to teach this lesson. "As the okami-san, all guests are equal and all guests are honored. Okami-sans are not individuals, but the spirit and moving power of the ryokan itself. We are the first and strongest impression that our guests make of the hotel, so it is vital… Wait, we have new guests arriving. From the size of the limo, we should assume that our guests are prominent. Allow me to demonstrate…"
Chisato stood to the side to watch the master at work. As usual, Kyoko stood perfectly composed, erect and beautiful in her kimono. As usual, she wore the perfect slight smile used when greeting guests. As usual, she placed one hand over the other in preparation for her bow of greeting… and then everything fell apart as Chisato saw Kyoko's eyes grow wide in pleased astonishment. Her routine completely forgotten, Kyoko rushed at a tall, slender, beautiful raven-haired lady while yelling "MOKO-SAAAAN!"
Nishikawa Chisato didn't know what to think as the stately young lady dodged to the right and left, evading Kyoko. What seemed the oddest, aside from Kyoko's break from character, were the joyful tears on both ladies' eyes as the other lady said "MO!" and surrendered to the okami-san's attack. Now that the pair had halted their erratic movements, Chisato was shocked to recognize the young lady as Kotonami Kanae, the actress who had recently received several major acting awards.
Chisato was again surprised when a blond doll-like creature in ruffles flew out of the limo and hurled herself at Kyoko screaming, "Onee-sama!" Kyoko released her death-grip on Kanae to catch the young girl up in her arms. "Maria-chan, oh, I'm so happy to see you. I've really missed you both so much!"
Chisato was about to step forward when she saw a handsome, olive-skinned man dressed like a Roman Centurion rush to open another door. A long, sandaled leg came out of the door, and then an arm, the other leg, and finally a laurel-wreathed head. As the emerging figure unfolded himself from the limo, Chisato recognized the man dressed as a Roman Emperor. He could only be one person. Kyoko confirmed this as she released the young girl and finally executed her perfect okami-san bow. "Greetings, President Takarada, and welcome to our humble ryokan. How is LME, sir?"
Ren was torn between pleasure and irritation he watched the scene in front of him. He felt pleasure in seeing Kyoko's brilliant smiles and flashing eyes as she interacted with Kotonami Kanae and Maria. It made his heart swell to see the woman he loved acting so happy. He also felt irritated because he knew that this would mean yet another chunk of precious time lost… time he might have been able to spend alone with Kyoko.
"It's never easy sharing love, is it," Lory's deep voice rumbled in amusement. Ren glanced over to meet the president's eyes, but the older man was also fixated on the scene taking place across the suite. There was a possessive pride in the man's eyes, and Ren knew that it wasn't just meant for Maria. The LoveMe girls were more than just a project for Takarada Lory. They had become like his own daughters. As if reading Ren's mind, Lory said, "I missed her too. It was hard to let her go, but I knew that if I didn't, Kyoko would never be healed from her fear of love. She needed time to absorb and understand her feelings for you."
Ren spoke softly, so as not to be heard across the room, "What if she had overcome her fear of love only to find somebody else, somebody here?"
Lory broke his gaze away from the three girls to meet Ren's eyes, "Remember, I never promised you that I would take care of things for you. Our deal was that you were completely responsible for your own life. I just promised you a chance. The same goes for your relationship with Kyoko. Far be it from me to interfere…" his eyes twinkled with mischief as Ren's expression turned into a scowl, "… with your love life." He grinned, "Besides, anyone could see how Kyoko felt about you. She just needed time to understand it herself."
Kanae and Maria were listening intently… although Kanae was trying to project indifference… to Kyoko's narration of the last eighteen months. Kanae already knew quite a few of the details, but now the details made more sense as her friend wove the entire tale together. Both girls were fascinated with the alterations in Kyoko. Her face had been cute before, but now that her face had matured she was actually quite pretty, maybe even beautiful. Certainly the animation that characterized her teen years was still there, but now there was a mature gracefulness to her movements. Her eyes were also the same golden-brown, but the pain and wariness no longer lurked just under the surface. Altogether, both girls silently agreed that she had greatly improved.
As Maria listened to the tale and heard Kyoko repeatedly brag about different features of this almost magical island (at least in Kyoko's description), she began to feel a little fearful, perhaps even jealous. Finally, she interrupted, "Onee-sama, you make it sound like you love it here and don't want to leave. You are coming back to Tokyo, aren't you?"
Kyoko smiled softly and pulled her imouto into a hug, "Yes, Maria-chan, I'm coming back to Tokyo as soon as the play is over and Nishikawa Chisato is fully trained. Still…" her voice sounded wistful, "I am going to miss Ukita Island and all of the wonderful people here. I wish that there was a way to have both."
Ren, who had been listening even as he and Lory talked, glanced over at the trio and then smiled a secret smile.
Takanami Aika's article, and the others that followed, had made people aware of Ukita Island and the upcoming play. With the summer drawing to a close, people were desperate for one more little vacation fling before the harder autumn weather set in. Many chose to check out Ukita Island. Consequently, the Hizuri's had been unable to obtain a room at the Morishita Ryokan. When Ren was apprised of this problem, he remembered the kind hotelier who had offered the use of his own helicopter to help escape the reporters. Yasamura received his call with pleasure and was quickly able to make a suite available for both the Hizuris and the Takaradas.
Ren hadn't told Kyoko the news about his parents yet because he knew that it might throw her into a panic. Instead he made his own phone calls and excused himself to go greet his parents. Kyoko had already pleaded for everyone's understanding as she made last minute preparations and headed off to the pre-play preparations.
Yashiro Yukihito was still dumbfounded at Ren's revelation. He had served this young man for five years and had never even guessed that he was serving the son of Hizuri Kuu, a man who was a legend in the entertainment industry. Heretofore it had always been Ren who was formal and Yashiro who tried to keep things casual. Now Ren was having to repeatedly beg Yashiro to stop overindulging in honorifics. He had a feeling that his demonstrative manager would carry a red carpet everywhere and would be throwing rose petals if he could get away with it. To Yashiro, the Hizuris were royalty, which made Ren the crown prince. He glanced over at his manager now as he drove toward the small airport. "Relax, Yashiro. They're just normal people."
"Normal!" Yashiro squeaked out before clearing his throat, "Hizuri-san, your paren…"
"Yashiro…" Ren growled.
"I'm sorry… Ren…san, your parents are far from normal. I grew up watching your father's movies. My mother brags about having two of your mother's designs in her closet. That's not normal… they're… you're the Hizuri's!" Normally, Yashiro might have slipped into fan-girl mode at this point… assuming that he had ever left it since hearing the news… but he was too frightened at the moment. The Hizuri's were coming here. They would be landing in just a few moments and would step off of the airplane and Yashiro Yukihito would be standing there with their son. What if they didn't like the way that he greeted them? What if they didn't think that he was a good enough manager for their son. What if…
"Oh good; here comes the airplane." Ren said casually, as if to mock all of Yashiro's fears. To be honest, Ren was enjoying seeing his manager squirm a little, after all of the teasing he had endured for the last three days about Kyoko. Mostly, however, he felt triumphant. In a few minutes he would be greeting his parents officially for the first time in seven years, and tonight they would all watch Kyoko perform. They would meet the woman he had loved, lost, and found again… his future bride… their future daughter-in-law. The last eighteen months of bitter loneliness were finally over and he had won Kyoko's heart and hand.
Kyoko felt the same butterflies in her stomach as everyone else on the cast and crew of "Our Island," but she was hiding it well. It had taken several days to calm everyone down when they discovered that the local girl who had been practicing with them was actually a famous Tokyo actress and the fiance of Japan's top star. They didn't know whether to be proud or scared, and every one of them was afraid that Kyoko would judge their own paltry acting skills harshly. But Kyoko was Kyoko, and she carried on just as she always had. True, her own dedication to her craft had pushed the others to a new level, but she never put on airs or "played the star" with them.
Now they were nervous once again, because whereas before they had expected to be acting in front of an audience of locals, now they would be playing in front of people from all over, including some real talent agents and stars. Takarada Lory had brought along several major producers and directors in order to promote and revive Kyoko's career. Most of those men and women were not recognizable, but that was not true of the stars. Even though few people on the island watched a lot of television, many of them had seen posters and billboards with Kotonami Kanae's image on it. And there were very few people indeed who didn't know who Tsuruga Ren was. Kyoko they knew… true, she was great; but she knew how to make them relax with her. But how were they supposed to act in front of the famous people who had come to watch her?
Nakatami Morihiro was too busy keeping everyone else focused and on-task to allow his own consternation to show. True, he had won several awards for writing and directing while he attended Tokyo University, but that was a long time ago. He had lived in Tokyo, and so he recognized the tall eccentric man sitting on the first row, dressed as shogun in honor of the play. Takarada Lory was the president of the largest and most successful talent agency in Japan… every theater and film arts student at TU knew who he was. And now he was here sitting out in the audience and about to watch Morihiro's play. Okay… maybe I am getting nervous…
"Nakatami-director-san?" Morihiro looked away from the curtain to find Asahi Fumi… Mogami Kyoko standing there, looking at him with those eyes he loved to look into. "You seem nervous. Are you okay?"
Morihiro nodded stiffly. "I'm fine, Asa…" He was struggling with finding the right way to address her now.
"I told you, just call me Kyoko. It is my stage name, after all."
"How can I do that when you won't call me Morihiro?" He smiled as her presence made him forget the audience for the moment.
His heart surged as she smiled. "Okay then, it's a deal, Morihiro-san. I will use your given name and you will use mine. After all, we did survive a storm together."
"And does that include me as well?" Another male voice interjected.
Kyoko turned, smiled, and bowed. "Yes it does, Fujimato-san. And in case I haven't said this before, thank you for saving us. Nineteen hours at the wheel in the middle of a typhoon is truly amazing, and it is because of that that we are still alive today. So thank you."
Yasamura Fujimato smiled, albeit a little sadly, "She thanks me, but will she marry me?"
Kyoko chose to treat his words as a joke, and laughed gently. "Sorry, Fujimato, Morihiro; but my heart belongs to another." She felt uncomfortable hedged in by these two male friends, so she bowed and excused herself. Fujimato sighed dramatically and clapped a hand on Morihiro's shoulder, "I guess we lost, Director-san. Well, why don't we go and make a play, shall we?"
The curtains opened to enthusiastic applause and flashing lights. Police Chief Takage Keitaro had issued stern warnings to all of the reporters about not disrupting the play, but he couldn't keep the cameras out, since even the local audience wanted a picture of the famous actress who had been hiding in their midst. The room became silent as Kyoko, in beautiful red kimono with her hair done up on her head, glided onto center-stage and executed a perfect bow. The play was a mixture of comedy, romance, tragedy, and hope as the goddess of the island observed and oversaw the daily lives of the inhabitants. She watched them be born, live, love, suffer and die until she too fell in love.
The audience was completely captivated with the story, and the players, absorbing the energy of the audience, gave their best performances. Still, the dominating presence in the play was the spirit of the island. She seemed to radiate there on the stage, and many forgot that they were watching an actress playing a part. In some part of their minds, forever afterward, Kyoko would be that goddess; a very real and yet ethereal spirit being.
For Kotonami Kanae it was a revival of all that acting had become for her. Before meeting and working with Kyoko, acting had been the means of becoming famous. Her dream had always been to become Japan's Number One Actress. After working with Kyoko, that had changed. After seeing Kyoko transform with each character, Kanae had unwittingly altered her own dream: now she wanted to create characters who were as real and vibrant as those that her friend could make… and if she became Japan's Number One Actress in the process, then that was good as well. She sat there in the audience now and marveled at the power of her friend.
Kanae glanced over to where Tsuruga Ren was sitting and had to fight down a touch of jealousy. Because of this man, her relationship with Kyoko would face another alteration. Even though Kyoko was finally returning to Tokyo, she would become a wife, and later a mother. Kanae did not ever intend to follow her example, so she feared that their lives would deviate in polar-opposite directions. Still… when she saw the way that Ren was watching Kyoko now, she had to grudgingly admit that the man was in love with her friend. Then her glance caught another tall couple seated near the back, in the shadows, and her eyes widened. Oh man… I wonder if Kyoko knows… of course not. If they had wanted her to know they were here, they wouldn't have hidden in the shadows. It's probably a good thing that Kyoko doesn't know, or she might not be able to perform.
The play had reached the dramatic climax now, where the man that the island spirit loved was passing on. There was truthfully not a dry eye in the house, not even Kanae's, as Kyoko draped herself over the tomb and wailed at her own powerlessness to save even this one mortal life. The feeling of this play had far-exceeded that of a local production. Now it felt as if they were sitting in a major playhouse and Kanae realized something else: Kyoko would never be pigeonholed into bad-girl roles again. This play would open up an entirely different world of opportunities for her. Kanae smiled to herself as she wondered who would win "Best Actress" on the following year.
"Our Island" was beautifully crafted so that it pulled away from the tragic and ended on a positive, uplifting note. As the players took their bows, the audience stood and delivered a standing ovation. There were flowers for everyone, but Kyoko naturally received the lion's share. Afterward, Ren had to stand aside as Lory led the directors and producers up to meet Kyoko. One in particular sought out Morihiro, and he was soon whisked away for a private meeting.
Per prior agreement, Ren, Kanae, and Maria attended the opening-night cast party. They graciously agreed to sign autographs on the following day so that the party could follow its proper course. That didn't prevent nearly everyone from drifting over to shake hands with the famous Tokyo people. Ren danced with Kyoko and, at her prompting, with both Maki and Satako. Kanae was assailed all evening long by potential dance partners, but she only accepted a few requests. Two of those who she accepted were Morihiro and Fujimato. She was curious about the two men who had weathered the storm with her friend. She also danced with the island's charismatic mayor and with Takarada Lory. The only other dances she joined, three to be exact, were with a particularly persistent Yashiro Yukihito.
Ren waited until he felt that Kyoko had done her fair share as the lead in the play. He then excused himself and Kyoko early, promising her that he had someone else who particularly wanted to meet her. She was confused when Ren turned his rental car west instead of east, headed toward the resort community. And she was completely at a loss when he led her into the Dragon's Rest and up the elevator to the Emperor's Suite.
It was only when the elevator door opened into the spacious suite that Kyoko's confusion was cleared up. With Ren's arm around her shoulder and tears of pleasure in her eyes, she saw the tall couple standing in the middle of the suite. Before she could make her mouth form intelligible words, the Hizuris stepped forward and wrapped her in their arms. She never knew for sure which of the three said the words that would forever afterwards remain embedded deep in her heart. All she would remember would be the words, "Welcome to our family, Kyoko. We've been waiting for you."
Notes:
* The actual title for Ren's mystery serial killer movie has never been provided, to the best of my knowledge. So I decided to make up my own title "Death is Waiting for You." Sorry if it sounds lame. It was the best I could come up with on short notice.
I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving (those of you who celebrate that holiday). The next chapter should arrive within a week, but no promises.