I do not own Skip Beat!
"We're back with the acting world's new It Couple, Tsuruga Ren and Kyouko," Emi said, as they came back from the commercial break. "For those of you just joining us, we have just discovered that the often seen playful relationship between Kyouko-san and Fuwa Shou is the result of a lifelong friendship rather than a romantic relationship. Isn't that right, Kyouko-san?"
Kyouko confirmed Emi's assertion, and Ren gave a smile.
"Well, if anyone has any remaining doubt on that front, they need only observe how devoted these two seem," Emi said with a smile.
They both smiled, and Ren, who had draped his arm over the back of the couch they were seated on during the commercial break, let the appendage fall down over Kyouko's shoulders and pull her slightly closer to him.
"You two do seem very affectionate with one another," Emi said. "In fact, you were recently photographed kissing."
Kyouko blushed bright red.
"Kyouko-san, is it difficult for you two, with you still being a minor?" she asked.
Kyouko cocked her head to the side like a confused puppy. Kyouko didn't know why her being a minor would make their relationship difficult. Perhaps her lack of maturity might annoy Ren, but then wouldn't that be a question for him?
"We are taking things slowly," Ren said," but that is not so much an issue of minority or majority, but the attitude which we have towards our relationship."
When Kyouko heard Ren's answer, she finally understood the question, and so much blood rushed to her face that she was in danger of losing all feeling in her limbs.
Emi smiled at the innocent girl before her and addressed her next question to Ren.
"And what is the attitude toward you hold toward your relationship?" she asked.
Ren smiled.
"We intend to treat our relationship with importance," Ren said. "This isn't some casual fling. We both care about each other deeply and intend to stay together, so we have all the time in the world nurture and develop our relationship into a strong and lasting bond. Other aspects are secondary."
Emi, seasoned hostess that she was, had to take a moment to recover and process Ren's words after he'd finished. As he spoke, the young man kept casting adoring glances at the girl in his arms. A lesser woman would have fainted.
"You seem very secure in the belief that you will stay together," Emi said, "Is there perhaps a little stone involved?"
The first place Kyouko's mind went upon hearing the words 'little stone,' was the memory of Ren kissing her Corn stone. Looking back, that could very well have been when her feelings for Ren began to change. Or was it before that? Either way, the interviewer shouldn't have any knowledge of Corn.
It was a relief to her confused mind when Ren answered the question.
"If you are asking if we are engaged," Ren said, "the answer is no, not yet."
Kyouko's head snapped up to Ren as he spoke the last two words. He had said something similar in the interview practice. In fact, most of the questions had been very similar, but she never thought Ren would come just short of proposing on air.
"Then you intend to become engaged?" Emi asked.
Ren again answered in the same manner as in the practice interview.
"I believe that marriage is generally the goal in serious relationships," he said, smiling.
"You certainly seem serious," Emi said. "Since Kyouko-san is over sixteen, why not simply get married now? I can't imagine a parent objecting to a marriage with someone like you, Tsuruga-san."
"As I said, we want to treasure our relationship, so there's no need to rush," he said.
"What about you, Kyouko-san?" Emi asked. "You two seem very assured of your feelings for each other. Don't you think it would be better to skip to the good part?"
Kyouko's blood again, abandoned the rest of her body in favor of her face. She did not want to propose to Ren on television. She did not want to propose to Ren at all. Though marrying Ren didn't seem like nearly as horrifying an idea as losing him, she still couldn't bear the thought of him growing tired of her after it was too late. On top of that, if they married now, she would need parental consent, and though her mother surely didn't care enough to object to the union, the very thought of her indifference was too painful to bear. Even the idea of a wedding was painful for the same reason. Her mother would not care enough to attend.
Kyouko desperately searched her brain for a reasonable excuse not to want to marry Ren immediately. It would have to be good enough to convince hoards of girls who would jump at the chance, and it would have to be fast. The silence was stretching too long.
"Ah, um, well, actually," she fumbled before finding her reason, "this is my first relationship, and since we do intend to stay together, this is the only chance I'm going to get to experience all the firsts of a relationship, so I don't want to skip anything, whether it is 'to the good part' or not."
Ren beamed at her and pulled her even closer.
"This is your first relationship?" Emi said too shocked to remember to phrase her question in a manner befitting a formal interview.
"Um, yes," Kyouko said.
"Perhaps you are just very discriminating in your choice of partner?" Emi asked. "Given the male fan base your characters have, it's hard to believe you're not very popular with all the young men you come in contact with."
The screen behind them began to cycle through promotional pictures and stills from all of Kyouko's roles…except Bo. The chicken did not draw a strong male fan base.
"Um, actually, I was never very popular in school," Kyouko said. She glossed over the bullying caused by her relationship with Shou. "I was more of the studious type than any of the character's I've played."
"So you're like Cinderella, then," Emi said with a smile. "You've even found your handsome prince."
Kyouko blushed in pleasure. Cinderella was her absolute favorite, and now that she had been compared to the fairytale character, she couldn't keep her mind from venturing off into La La Land.
Luckily, a light began blinking a signal to Emi to wrap up the interview.
"Well, it seems we're almost out of time for tonight," she said, "but let's watch a clip from the happy couple's new drama, Selling before we go."
The lights in the studio dimmed and a clip from the drama began to play on the screen behind them.
The clip was from Kyouko the first episode after Kyouko had signed on as a regular member of the cast. It was the scene where Rika had locked herself in her room, refusing to be sent back to her grandparents', while Tasuke tried to convince her to leave.
The scene ended and the lights came back on.
"Wow! We can definitely see the chemistry between these two. Be sure to check out Selling if you want to seem more great acting with Japan's It Couple," Emi said. She gave the audience the day and time that the drama aired before turning back to her guests. "Thank you again for being here."
"Ah, thank you for having us," Kyouko said, stopping herself from making her usual forty-five degree bow, and contenting herself with a graceful incline of the head.
Emi turned back to the audience, thanked them for watching, and filming ended.
She thanked the couple again, personally.
"It really was such a privilege to interview you both," she said. "I hope I wasn't too hard on you with the questions, but you know, the public wants to know."
Kyouko and Ren graciously disclaimed, and left.
Once off stage, Kyouko let out a deep breath.
"Are you ok?" Ren asked.
"I'm fine," Kyouko said, with a slight smile. "I'm just relieved it's over. I hope I didn't mess up too badly."
Ren smiled.
"I'm very proud of you," Ren said. "You did very well, especially considering how painful it must have been for you to answer about not marrying now."
"Eh?" Kyouko asked.
"Because she brought up your mother approving of an early marriage," he clarified.
"Um, yes," she said. "I— I think I managed somehow."
"You did perfectly," he said.
The interview had been in the evening, so Ren drove her directly to the Darumaya afterward. He seemed content not to talk, which was a good thing, because Kyouko was puzzling over his recent words as he took her home.
Ren had said that Emi bringing up her mother must have been painful, but Emi had said 'parent,' not mother, and Kyouko couldn't remember ever telling Ren about her relationship with her mother. Perhaps he simply assumed that it would be painful, since neither parent was present in her life, but then why specify her mother?
"We're here," Ren said, derailing her train of thought.
"Ah, thank you for the ride," Kyouko said, beginning to get out of the car.
"Let me walk you to the door," Ren said.
"Ah, you don't have to," Kyouko said, "What if you get spotted?"
"It will be fine," he assured her with a smile.
He walked her to the door, caressed her cheek and bid her goodnight without any problems. It seemed he would not try and kiss her at the Darumaya.
Only after Kyouko had greeted the Taisho and Okami-san, reviewed her schedule for the next day and was safely in bed did her thoughts once again go to her previous musings.
She really could not remember having told Ren about her mother. She hadn't even told President Takarada about her mother when he allowed her to join LME. The only person she had told was Otou-san. Had Ren somehow heard from him? They hadn't seemed acquainted when she had been acting as Kuon. She continued to mull over the curious question until at last, the cares of the day faded away into the land of dreams.
AN: Whew! Finished the interview portion! Getting lots of questions about Shou's super uncharacteristic statement. I promise to explain...maybe next chapter, or the one after. It feels somewhat dangerous to say this, as things always take me longer than I plan (I originally thought I would have this wrapped up in 10 chapters),but I think this is finally drawing near the end...but don't quote me. ;) I have something planned which will have a chain reaction of sorts, which may lead to the conclusion...unless the characters get unruly. Could I possibly waffle any more? Thanks for reading, reviewing, subscribing, etc. Feel free to leave me a review if you'd like to let me know what you think :D
