trick or treat
Hiromune tentatively takes a sip of simple chicken broth from a red ceramic mug. His hands still shake slightly, but his mind feels clearer then it has in days. Finding that his stomach seems to accept the liquid nourishment with minimal protest, the young actor takes another sip. It the first real sustenance he has kept in his system for days. He sits the mug on the table the lowers his head to the hard surface. For a moment, he closes his eyes to savor the sensation of having no screaming headache. His brow furrows slightly as he hears his front door slam open. Since only one other person has a key to his apartment, Koga groans slightly. He sits up in dreaded anticipation of his manager's intrusion.
Jeremy Johnson breezes into Koga's kitchen immaculately dressed and carrying two large containers of gourmet coffee.
"You look a bit better then earlier this week," comments the manager as he hands one of the take-out cups to his charge. "Still not great, but at least you don't look four days dead."
"hmm," is Hiro's only reply as he sits aside his now half empty mug of soup and takes the lid off his gift coffee. He sniffs it suspiciously. Johnson snorts and drinks some of his own coffee before reminding the actor that he has two appearances today. One is a brief part in a commercial, and the other is a guest appearance on a drama.
"I asked you to cancel all my obligations this week," huffs Koga as he drinks a mouthful of rich coffee. The full flavored beverage is almost a comfort food for the green-eyed actor; he savors the warmth as it settles in his stomach then radiates to the rest of his body.
"I did cancel as many as I could. I couldn't get you out of the ones today. The commercial is Kurosaki's new series which is sure to cause a buzz, and the guest appearance was already moved from Tuesday to Saturday. They can't put off production any longer since it needs to air this coming week," replies Jeremy.
Koga continues to drink his coffee as he listens with only half an interest in his manager's ramblings. In the back of his mind, the actor can't help but consider that the two deals today involve rather powerful directors and promise to be lucrative financially. Since his manager's salary is based on a percentage of his income, the actor knows the true reason why Johnson is pushing him to make these appearances.
Finishing his coffee, the actor pushes himself from his chair and heads into his bedroom to get changed. ALthough clean, his current sweatpants and t-shirt are decided not celebrity material. He opens his closet door and reaches for an over-sized silk dress shirt. His fingers reach, but his vision wavers. Koga misses the shirt and catches only air with his grasp. He shakes his head which is once more feeling fuzzy. He concentrates on the closet once more and succeeds in pulling a number of shirts off the hangers in his attempt to retrieve the one he wants. Silk flutters to the floor as the actor stumbles backwards with his target shirt in his fist. Panic-stricken, Koga's eyes dart around the room as the fog settles more firmly into his consciousness. Feeling slightly disconnected from his body, Hiro notices his manager standing in the doorway sipping his coffee with a satisfied smirk on his face.
"Fuck!" cusses Koga as he stumbles to one knee. "What was in the coffee?"
Mogami Kyoko thanks the make-up artist for the third time this morning before stepping from her dressing room in her new costume. She can't help but giggle as she imagines she just stumbled from a grown-up version of Takarada Maria's closet as she runs her hands over the frilly doll-like outfit.
She approaches the set where hands scurry to swap the scenery from the previous commercial filming.
"You look cute, Kyoko-san" Director Kurosaki announces with a grin. The director pulls off his baseball cap and runs his hand through his messy dark hair. He grins at the actress who is doing a great job with his newest commercial art vision. For ages, the director has been hoping to work with the gifted LME talent on another project and was ecstatic when the owners of Hideyoshi Teas agreed to not only his proposal but also his choice in lead actress for the production.
Kurosaki's current project involves a series of commercials. The main actress is the same for each one and the dialog is the same. The scenery, costumes, and support actor changes for each rendition but Kyoko's participation remains constant. Her characters do not though. Each time they complete one of the commercials, Kyoko sheds her character and becomes a new one. Already today, Kyoko has been a big sister to a younger brother and a traditional granddaughter to an elderly gentleman. This time, she will be playing a young lover of a salary man in his mid thirties. In each scene, Kyoko makes tea and serves the other participant in a kitchen that reflects the personality of her character. She has been companionable, formal, and now cutesy for her parts.
The current scene films with minimal issues and it only takes three tries for the young and perpetually unusual director to be happy with the copy. He dismisses almost everyone for an early lunch break although the stage hands are required to shift scenes once more before they can leave to eat.
Kyoko exits the dressing room once more in her street clothes and her face washed clean of all make-up. She is surprised to find the director waiting outside the door. The young director grins at the transformation in the teen actress.
"Yo, Kyoko-san. Want to grab some lunch with me?" Kurosaki asks. "There's a great ramen shop down the street a couple blocks from the studio."
Kyoko loses a bit of her shine, and she regretfully declines the offer. Since she does not want to offend the director and because she does not have permission to leave with Director Kurosaki, she presents him with a large tied bundle and explains that she already has her lunch.
Because he had hoped to pitch another commercial idea to the actress at lunch, the director stomps away in his heavy black boots with disappointment evident in every step. He changes his plans to visiting a closer place for take-out in hopes of catching time to share his new project vision with the talented teen actress. He figures that if he can't catch her after he eats that he will have to make an appointment with LME formally.
Kyoko settles into a seat in the studio and eats her lunch while watching the stage hands. She has almost finished her meal when she notices two males enter the studio. Kyoko grins happily and sits aside her bento box before approaching the duo.
"Good afternoon," she greets the actor and his manager with a bow. When she rises, her golden eyes flit over the actor's face and body.
"Are you feeling better, Hiro?" she asks with a concerned expression.
Koga's lips curl into his customary smirk, but his eyes lack the sparkle that Kyoko expects to see with his amused expression. He assures the actress that he is fine as he brushes past her and follows his manager towards the director who has just returned from his quick lunch. A heavy aroma of peppermint floats in Koga's wake. Kyoko follows his progress with a slight frown. The expression only increases when she notices the actor stumble just slightly, and his manager reaches to steady his elbow.
Half an hour later, Kyoko finds herself on stage as she plays the part of a newlywed wife making tea for her new husband. Sultry green eyes follow her every movement, and the bride blushes as she approaches her husband with a tray with a fancy tea service on it. When she sits the tray on the table, her husband's hand and arm snakes around her middle and pulls her into his lap. A bit rougher than Kyoko expected, she lands against Hiromune's body and her hip bumps into the table. She flinches and the director calls for a cut.
They repeat the scene. This time, Koga bumps the tea tray and scatters everything when he grabs for Kyoko. Kurosaki calls another cut. They repeat the scene again and again and again. Each time something goes wrong, and it is obvious that Kurosaki is becoming more agitated with each take. Finally, the director calls for a five minute break. The thug-dressed director feels ready to hit something. He had expected a better performance from Koga and he can tell Kyoko is working hard to make the scene work. Unfortunately, it seems forced.
Kyoko takes a few moments to walk around the studio and snags a bottle of water from the vending machine in the hall. When she re-enters the studio, she notices Koga's manager handing him a bottle of water too. After a quick drink, the actor meets Kyoko on the stage to try the scene once more.
Thankfully, this take moves a bit smoother. Koga pulls Kyoko onto his lap without incident. They exchange their lines about the tea. Kyoko giggles and Hiromune playfully pulls her closer and kisses her. Kurosaki calls a happy cut. Immediately, Koga pulls away from the kiss. He brusquely returns his co-star to her feet before standing and practically fleeing from the stage to join his manager. Kyoko's eyes narrow suspiciously as she follows his jerking movements.
When Kurosaki approves the last filming, both celebrities head to the dressing rooms. By the time Kyoko exits in her new costume and make-up, Koga is gone. The actress stomps towards the set in her punk outfit and anger snapping in her eyes.
Kyoko finishes the fifth and the final sixth filming without incident. As she exits the dressing room the final time, she is once again surprised. This time, she is thrilled to find her senpai leaning against the wall having a discussion with Director Kurosake. When she approaches the older men, their conversation falls silent, and both smile proudly at the actress. Kyoko thanks the director for taking care of her today then finds herself whisked from the studio by the older actor.
She quickly finds herself in the front seat of Ren's car.
"Um, Ren..." she starts "Why did you come to pick me up? I thought Sawara-san scheduled a LME driver to transport me today."
"Originally, he did, but I called him and let him know I could pick you up since my modeling job was finished earlier then expected. I wasn't far from your studio so it wasn't a problem for me."
Ren turns down a street heading in the opposite direction from Kyoko's home. She questions him, and he simply replies that she promised he could spoil her.
"Oh," Kyoko responds with a blush and a trusting look at her senpai who is working on concentrating on his driving instead of the cute girl beside him. An indulgent smirk settles on his lips as his passenger settles comfortably into the car seat without a protest. He can't help but silently rejoice at the calm and collected acceptance of his intentions. The actor can't help but hope that this is a sign of their relationship reaching a new plateau. Briefly, he wonders if his parents had anything to do with the sudden change in Kyoko's embarrassment about accepting gifts and care from others. The unstoppable spoiling tendencies inherent in the Hizuris might have paved the way for his own inherent tendencies to spoil her. Ren can't help but cackle gleefully in the back of his mind as he finally finds an outlet too.
Drawn from his joyful thoughts, Ren becomes conscious of Kyoko's golden eyes following his every movement and so he steals a look at the pretty teen. Her eyes reflect a desire to ask him something but she appears too nervous to broach the subject. Ren attempts to prompt her into speaking. Torn between the wish for Ren's expert advice and her fear of being considered a gossip, Kyoko hedges.
"Would you tell me if I was in a chicken suit?" teases Ren gently.
Kyoko can't help but giggle at the thought of Japan's number one actor and the most eligible and sexy man in the country strutting around in Bo's costume. Somehow, she figures he will still makes hearts flutter even in the silly costume. She shakes her head as she decides it is all part of the magic that is Tsuruga Ren. After a bit more prodding, the actress finally acquiesces to his playful banter. Eyes suddenly serious, Kyoko clasps her hands tightly. She takes a deep breath.
"I think one of my co-stars today was inebriated when they came to work," she admits. "We had to do the filming a number of times."
Ren pulls into a parking garage near an upscale shopping arcade. He disengages the ignition and turns to his kohai.
"Unfortunately, not everyone takes acting as seriously as you and I do," he counsels.
Ren watches as Kyoko's face falls and disappointment seems to seep from her pours. Unable to stop himself, the actor reaches across the small space to touch the actress. He offers a gentle caress of comfort to combat her sadness.
"Did you say or do anything about it?" he inquires and Kyoko shakes her head.
"If an actor is unable to perform properly, it is the responsibility of the director to deal with those types of things. It is good that you kept your suspicions to yourself. Unless you think someone's behavior or, in this case, impairment will be dangerous, it is better to rely on the director to address it. Now, if the person's behavior or mental status is a danger to you or others, it is best to speak to the director about it immediately. You have to protect yourself before being concerned about the other person's reputation or position. Does that make sense?"
Kyoko nods and thanks Ren. He stresses that he is always here for her before exiting the sports car. Kyoko joins him and follows him down the steps of the parking garage. Instead of exiting from the front of the parking garage, Ren leads Kyoko to the back. They enter an alleyway that cuts behind the stores in the shopping arcade. The tall actor casually takes the teen's hand and tugs her gently into the alleyway. Mentally, he counts the metal fire doors as he propels Kyoko down the dingy alley. The harsh metal doors remind Ren of his nightmare last night. Seeking comfort, the actor pulls Kyoko closer to him until their arms brush.
"Ren?" Kyoko murmurs in concern for his sudden mood change.
Her companion assures her that he is fine before reaching out and banging his fist against the ninth metal door. After a few minutes wait and one more hard rap on the door, a young man that Kyoko estimates to be in his mid twenties swings open the heavy emergency exit.
"Oh, Tsuruga-san. I am so glad you were able to come," he gushes as he glances both ways down the alley before ushering the two celebrities into the backroom of the leather goods store. The store manager introduces himself as Kikuchi to Kyoko with a slightly evil grin. The leather connoisseur makes a point of noticing the quality of the designer leather bomber jacket the teen actress is already sporting. He can't help but speculate that the coat was either picked up at a trendy and high end consignment shop or was a gift from an old boyfriend or admirer. Kikuchi recognizes that it is a high quality article which shows just enough wear at the elbows to denote that someone who it fit properly wore it frequently before it came into the possession of the cute actress. The manager keeps glancing back at Kyoko's male companions with a knowing smile. He knows that the coat did not belong to Ren. It is way too small for his long frame. Ren just shakes his head at the salesman's antics. The actor trails the manager and Kyoko through the storage area and through the staff entrance into a private dressing area.
Ren settles into one of the plush seats and stretches his long legs towards the center of the room. He watches in amusement as Kikuchi expertly strips Ishibashi's coat and discards it gently on one of the other plush chairs. Kikuchi withdraws a dress makers tape from his pocket. The salesman chatters amiably with Kyoko about nothing important as he expertly confirms Kyoko's measurements in order to ensure proper fit. With a promise to return quickly, Kikuchi sweeps from the private dressing area into the public shopping area. He soon returns with a number of coats which he then foists onto Kyoko as if she were a more realistic proportioned fashion doll.
Contentment settles into Ren's bones as he watches Kyoko and Kikuchi interact like grade school friends as they laugh and exclaim over the different coats. Just like he knew the hair comb was perfect for Kyoko, Ren knows when his sweetheart dons the perfect coat. It is a knee length black suede duster with fox fur trim and a quilted lining that will ensure that the actress remains warm all winter long. Despite Ren's claim that the coat is perfect, Kikuchi still makes Kyoko try on the final three jackets just to make sure.
Just a few minutes later, Kyoko and Ren secretly exit the same way they entered the shop. Ren's green-eyed monster purrs as he watches Kyoko tenderly pet the coat that he has purchased her. In her hand, she carries Ishibashi's loaned coat in a large paper shopping bag. The actor rides the warm rush of victory all the way back to Kyoko's home. He pulls into a parking spot near the the restaurant and shuts off the ignition.
Kyoko clears her throat nervously. Ren starts to turn towards her questioningly when a softest brush of a kiss presses fleetingly onto his cheek. Almost like Kyoko froze when Ren kissed her on the cheek on Valentine's Day, the actor stills in a combination of surprise and confusion. In the ensuing silence, Kyoko pulls away from her senpai and offers him a tender smile.
"Thank you so much for the coat, Ren. I love it and will think about your kindness every time I wear it."
Ren's heart clenches in excitement as Kyoko looks down at her clasped hands. She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves. She finally raises her innocent eyes to meet his dark ones.
"I really wish I could have said yes to your invitation to the ATAs. It would have meant more to attend with you who supported me in creating Mio then with Shotaro. I am sorry I had to say no. I hope that you understand and forgive me," she adds with just a hint of tremble in her voice.
Ren's hand raises to brush her hair from her face. His thumb draws faintly against her temple as his fingers brush her hair behind her ear.
"There's nothing to forgive, Kyoko. Next time, I will make sure I ask you sooner," he promises while smiling with what might be his most tender expression ever. Kyoko's eyes widen in response to his gaze and a heavy blush erupts onto her face, neck and ears.
"Good night, Ren!" Kyoko nervously exclaims as she fumbles with the suddenly stubborn door latch which has never caused her any problems in the past. Finally succeeding in opening the door, the teen practically teleports from the car to the front door of her home. She moves so fast she does not even give Ren a chance to reply.
