Tokyo was right where Kyoko had left it on January. She was glad to be back, but being there without Kuon, wasn't the same "But I am glad to see you all" she didn't want her friends to feel unappreciated "It's just that whenever I am here, I got back the memories of how we… well, you know"
"No, I don't know" Yashiro was paying her back for the time he'd been cornered by Kuon and her.
"You do" Kyoko smiled "By the way, how's Moko-chan?" her eyes sparkled and Yashiro blushed.
"You can ask her now" he pointed at the agency's door "I was actually waiting for her" Kanae was entering the building.
"Moko-chan!" Kyoko rushed to trap her in one of her friendly embraces "Come on" Kanae was still trying to get rid of her "I know you've missed me too"
As Kyoko released her friend, she witnessed how Kanae's gaze crossed with Yashiro's and they both blushed. Kyoko grinned, thinking they were really cute.
"Nee-chan!" Maria seemed to be the only one willing to hug Kyoko.
"Wow Maria!" she noticed that her head had to lower less to face her now "You've grown a few inches" Maria laughed "Are you ready?" she nodded. Maria would also be in Kyoko's summer drama, and they were really excited about it.
"How is Tsuruga-sama?" Maria asked.
"Busy" Kyoko felt that nostalgie come back again "But he sends you his regards" Maria looked happy to know that her idolized Ren still cared about her "We can chat with him later, with my netbook" Maria's eyes widened as hearing so.
Takaki-san appeared to interrupt her welcoming committee at LME to take her and Maria to the TV station where the drama would be shot.
"It's been a long time, director Ushio" Kyoko bowed as usual, greeting the director who'd discovered her and Kanae.
"Kyoko" he grinned "I am really glad that you still accepted this role"
"What do you mean 'still'?" Kyoko had perfectly understood that ever since Hikaru Genji and all the awards, her status had upgraded from before "As long as my schedule allows me, I'll always come running whenever Ushio-san offers me a role" she was sincere "I'll never forget who gave me my first chance" she winked at him and Ushio smiled with confidence.
"So you still remember to come back" Shun Okamoto's friendly voice warmed up Kyoko. She greeted him with a small bow "And I'll take that as a sign for us not to hit on you" he looked at her ring.
"I am glad to see you, Okamoto-kun" she laughed "It's good to find you actually get to like this" Kyoko referred at the fact Shun was originally a singer and dancer idol, not an actor, but that he had admitted once Kyoko had inspired him to also pursue acting.
"Well, I am trying my best" he was one of Kyoko's best friends in the industry that wasn't an LME member, and she was happy to work with him once more "It's an honor to work again with you"
"I can say the same" Kyoko was grateful for the way everybody praised her, but she wished they weren't that much impressed by what she had achieved on the past year.
As soon as the drama's recording started, she felt better. It was good to work again with actors she already knew, but it was also good to find new faces and some seniors she hadn't got the chance to work with yet. Knowing that if her American series succeeded, that would be the last time she'd got to film a long Japanese drama, one that lasted at least three months on broadcast, she performed everyday as it was her last "Please, when you become a famous Hollywood actress, remember that I'd still love to direct you once in a while" Ushio-san used to tease her.
In Japan, things were a little bit odd, thought. People weren't believeing that Ren Tsuruga was serious with their relationship, and tabloids were helping get the public opinion in disbelief with them being an item.
"Oh, so you still wear the ring" even some of her old acquaintances got weird when they noticed she still had it in her finger.
Kanae and Yashiro explained her which things the tabloids had been publishing "They insist that your Hollywood's mentor doesn't approve of Tsuruga-san" Kanae was concerned "Is that true?"
"What?" Kyoko found it funny, but she couldn't just explain what the situation was in fact. She felt bad lying to everyone else, the only person that actually knew the truth was Lory Takarada.
"The tabloids know you two aren't leaving together, and they say it's because Kuu Hizuri doesn't like Tsuruga-san around you" Kanae told.
Whenever Kyoko got interviewed at any variety show or morning magazine, they kept their manners not asking too many personal details, but they always threw a few questions hinting at the possibility her romance might be fading away, or that she was under Kuu Hizuri's care and away of Ren Tsuruga.
The only person in the show business that wasn't a friend of hers that had believed it was Sho.
Sho Fuwa had dared to appear at her drama's set and got mad while telling her how pitiful she was "Is that your way of taking revenge? Making people believe that idiot actually fell for someone like you?" But Kyoko didn't fall for his trick.
She showed no mercy while showing off her ring "Do you see this Shoutaro?" she didn't care of what people thought about her relationship, but Kyoko wouldn't let Sho Fuwa believe it was all because of him "If I really wanted to get your attention I've would just refused it on the day it was offered to me" Kyoko was glad that no one else was there "Upset because I moved on and forgot about my revenge?" Kyoko's voice was calm "Well, wake up and realize that not everything is about you. There's only one man I shall report my actions to, and that ain't you" She knew that Sho had clashed with the cruel reality: Kyoko was someone out of his reach now "Now if you'll excuse me, I am really busy" she opened the door of her dressing room and invited him to leave.
Kyoko hoped that Kuon wouldn't get mad when she'd told him. Fortunetaly he was more than pleased with the way she had dealt with that matter. She knew that he wasn't comfortable with that romantic movie's job, but he'd enjoyed the one he'd shot in Brasil, and he was looking forward his upcoming roles "I am glad that Sarah Woodman got in your path" Kyoko had met the Woodman's at the Oscars, when she reminded Kuon he should go and greet them "You're just on the righ direction" Kyoko had instantly liked the couple, they were passionate towards their jobs and they both appreciated Kuon's great skills. Kyoko just got the feeling they would bring good things into Kuon's American career.
She was too busy, wrapping up her drama on time, so she could return and do some more auditions and wait for the pilot to get aired "Good news" Mr. Packerman had told her the day after "The ratings were good and the critics were satisfactory. You'll shoot a first season" Kyoko's drama recording started right on, on September, so her schedule wouldn't get affected and she'd got the time to fly to Australia for the sci-fi movie premiere.
"Yours looks more complicated" She told Kuon once she'd given him the news "Two movies at once and that International film you shot on France, wasn't that supposed to premiere on January?" Kuon told her that it had been pushed back to get premiered in Cannes, but that the movie he shot on London would, indeed get premiered soon.
Once she was back at Hollywood, her daily battles with Annie Hawk on set resumed. The girl hadn't learnt her lesson yet, but there was nothing else Kyoko or Nadia could do about. Once the drama had started airing, the writers wisely reduced her role to nearly nothing, noticing she was nothing but trouble in the set and that Kyoko stole her shine all the time. The producers, the writers and the director agreed on expanding Nadia's role instead, hoping that the spoiled brat would quit soon. That is how things were done at Hollywood sometimes, only sometimes. But whenever a troublemaker appeared, it was a matter of time the rest of the cast or the crew ganged up against the actor or the staff got tired of him to make him disappear from the set one way or another.
On October, Kyoko took a two weeks break from her drama recording to attend the Australian premiere. Surprisingly, the way she got received was effusive and filled with expectations, and the movie didn't deceive them. Kyoko was amazed that all those scenes she'd shot on a blue-screen turned out to be that great. Soon the sci-fi fans around the World started showing interest for the movie "We've received several invitations for you to attend comic-cons and sci-fi conventions" Mr. Packerman explained her those were as popular as the Anime conventions and the Komikket and fans tent to be really devoted to their idols, whether those were writers, comic artists or actors.
"Let me know which ones don't collide with my schedule, and I'll be glad to attend" Kyoko was learning how to handle her job too.
"You're going to Seattle?" Kuu was her advisor now, although she still reported everything to Kuon. Kyoko explained her 'father' that she'd got several invitiations due to her sci-fi movie's success "Lory surely taught you well" he praised her for not refusing a chance to get face to face with her possible audience. Kuu was right: Kyoko had learnt so much being under LME and as a Love Me member. Also, Takaki-san's influence was still there, since Kyoko had never stopped studying Mandarin and keeping her daily training.
"You always amaze me with the ways you find to keep gaining followers" Kuon hadn't too much time to chat with her, since he was really busy and in a remote location at Alaska, filming with Will Woodman. Kuon admitted he'd never thought about using those conventions to gain fans "Perhaps I should go too, when the super-heroes' movie gets wrapped and ready to get edited" Kyoko was proud of herself for having found something by her own.
"Mother asks if you've did any improvement with what she taught you" Kuon had been preparing the movie learning some Russian from Julienne, via Skype.
"I am doing fine with it" he blushed. Kyoko had left them alone while Julienne taught him the sentences he'd used and how to pronounce those "But I am a little bit ashamed that I never got interested in that side of my family" Kyoko knew Kuon was honest. But he asking Julienne for that favor had made his mother really happy.
On November, Kyoko's series got already extended for ten more episodes on that season and pendant to get a second season confirmed. Annie Hawk still refused to disappear, but her agent had already communicated the staff that she wouldn't be renewing her contract if the series got a second season.
Kyoko filmed a TV Movie on December, a new experience for her, getting a good supporting role and enjoying the time she'd spent with actors who were already famous in America for their constant TV success. That month, she also got an advanced birthday present: Kuon finally got back to LA to start filming in set the scenes for the super-heroes' movie that requited a blue-screen. The studios producing that filmid had better equipment back in LA, so they were all moving to the city.
"You're not moving" Kuu attempted to forbid Kyoko to leave the house and share the small loft Kuon had rented for the time being "NO!" Kuu surely loved to play.
"Darling, don't let her cross that door!" However, Julienne was more serious about not letting her go "If Kuon wants to get her, then he shall come here and try to get her"
"It's enough, mother" Kuon had come to pick her up "It's not fair we only have a couple of months to be together before I start touring premieres and festivals" Kyoko was trapped between Kuu's arms "While you get her all the time" Kyoko thought she'd die at Kuon's puppy eyes How can he be that cute?
"How can I say no to that face?" Julienne's eyes were teary "I don't understand why you can't just move in"
"You know why, mother" Kuon wasn't glad either, but he still couldn't tell who he was.
At the end, Kuu released Kyoko, not without giving her a kiss on the cheek and a warning she'd better behave and not skip her schedule, and Julienne looked like a child who's got her favorite toy stolen.
"I thought I'd never get you out of that house" Kuon told her once they were in the car he had rented.
"You know why they did that, do you?" Kyoko laughed as she placed her hand on Kuon's right knee.
"Oh, yes I know" Kuon's glare was gloomy "I miss them too" he said not hiding his feelings now "But I also know they were real about not wanting to let you go" Kyoko felt flattered "You know?" he parked the car at the loft's garage "To them you're a real daughter. Not 'like' but a real one. I swear I've never seen them treat anyone else this way except me" Kyoko lowered her gaze "And I am sure that if we weren't together, they'd still try to find a way for us to end up as a couple, so they can officially make you their daughter" he let a bittersweet laughter escape. Kyoko couldn't help to let some tears escape. She wasn't sad, but she had just realized that what Kuon was saying was true "Hey" he took her face with both hands "I didn't meant to make you cry like this" Kyoko shook her head a little, meaning it didn't matter if she was crying, because she felt really happy right now. Kuon awarded her with a deep kiss "That is what I was dying to do" he smiled at her.
They got out of the car and Kuon took her upstairs, to the small but cute loft that was located in a centric place, far from those residential areas were the big celebrities and richmen lived. Once they've finished placing all the belongings Kyoko had brought with her, Kuon took her to the bed "We've got so much to catch up with" he told her with that Emperor of the Night look.
Kyoko gave in, willing to feel her most important men and glad that they would get some time to be together, inspite of their busy schedules, after all that long.
Hopefully, this will be a prelude of our near future…
