The Fallen Women
Chp 57 interdependence
The water of the stream moved steadily around her hand as she played with the fairies that danced on the surface and tried to think of a plan ,how to get Sho to agree ,hmm somehow the direct approach seemed unlikely to work. He would never agree to do this because she wanted it but maybe if she presented it right way, he would not even realise it was what she wanted but how.
She sighed and rolled onto her back looking up at sunlight twinkling in the leaves of the trees above her. What did Sho really want from her ,Kyoko knew that Ren thought that Sho was in love her but Kyoko didn't believe that, no it was something else something more basic than that, what was it Saena had said Sho had been attached to her. Kyoko tried to search her memories for that but all she could recall was herself so eager to be the Fuwa's everything but if it was true that means from the very beginning Sho has always got everything he ever wanted , Sukura had said they encouraged him to think of her as his.
Kyoko felt an idea forming, maybe she should take Venus advise and give him what he thinks he wants until he does not want it anymore because what he wanted was now clear to Kyoko it was power. It wasn't love it was like a kid with a toy , sure he didn't really want the toy in fact he thought the toy was boring and dull but he didn't want anyone else to have the toy either and especially not Ren the man he saw as his main competitor in life.
So she supposed the first step would be to make it seem like Ren had got rid of her which probably wouldn't be that hard for him to believe then to inform him about the contract between them but to act like she was happy about it ,wanted it which could be slightly tricker after all none of their recent inactions had gone well.
The final step would be the hardest she both somehow make him cancel the contract but also seem like I have not shown him how to and them pretend he hurt her by ending the contract.
"I can do this; I am an actress after all" tomorrow for Sho she would become devoted toy and limited performance.
Kyoko stood up and made her way back to the Ryokan it was time to go back to work.
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Ren Smiled at his phone as be noted the one missed call from Kyoko ,that was just what he needed to hear her voice he listened to her message and his smile faded and worry filled him not that she had said anything to indicate trouble but she had sound unbearably sad ,that was it the last straw he needed to be in Kyoto and he needed to be there now. He no longer cared about giving her the space she asked for no he needed to be with her, see her face, hold her close , tell her everything would be alright and to make it better because no one was allowed to make her that sad.
He called her number and got her voicemail again which only increased his frustration.
"Kyoko, I know I said I would give you space, but I can't do it, I need to be with you, I'm coming up as soon as I can hopefully tonight. I will try to call again when I have it all planned out and I am on my way. I love Kyoko."
He hung up and walked over to Yashiro
"did you get the address I asked for?"
Yashiro nodded and handed over a small piece of paper to Ren
"good, thank you, now I need you to cancel everything and get me on the next available form of transport to Kyoto"
Yashiro looked at Ren in shock but sighed "Is Kyoko in hospital" he asked
Ren looked at Yashiro "no not as far as I'm aware but I still need to go to her"
"has she asked you to come to her" Yashiro asked sceptically.
"No but you didn't hear her, please I need to be there"
"I'm sorry Ren but no I cannot cancel any of your schedule and you are not allowed to go to Kyoto until you are due there"
"what the fuck are you talking about of course I can go ,fuck my stupid schedule either you rearrange it for me or I'll ruin my reputation by not showing ,I need to be with Kyoko"
"then give me your phone and I'll listen to the message and decide if I think you should go"
Ren huffed but passed his phone into Yashiro gloved hand , Yashiro listen carefully to the message and even he felt the sadness in her voice "it doesn't change a thing, Kyoko has chosen to handle this situation alone and she hasn't asked you to come to her believe me Ren you coming in like this isn't going to help anyone, she has been working hard and she does not need you to come rescue her and probably mess up her plans, all she needs is your support and you can do that from right here. Tomas will be with her tomorrow with the paperwork"
Ren glared at the man before him and let out a tiny yell before kicking over a table "I hate this, how am I supposed to do this she is in pain Yashiro, it's not right I should be with her"
"I know it's hard but love isn't about stopping a person from being hurt , it about supporting your person throughout everything that happens in life the good, the bad , the ugly and beautiful , it about listening to each others needs and right now Kyoko needs to get her power back everyone has taken that power from her recently, you with your interview ,Fuwa's with his behaviour ,her mother with her lawyers visit and the Fuwa's with their requirements but I tell you now Ren if you go to Kyoto now you will be the worst of them because she used her power and has trusted you to believe in her, to let her do what she needs to do to start healing and if you go you'll be telling her that she can't that she has to be dependent on you and in the end that will kill any relationship you have with her. Kyoko is an independent woman and has been for a while, you need an interdependent relationship not a co dependant one"
Ren looked at Yashiro sadly "ok fine, I stay away but I'm not happy about it"
"no one expects you to be"
Ren held out his hand "Can I please have my phone back; I need to make some calls"
Yashiro handed it back. "you have an interview at TBM in two hours, I trust that you'll perform correctly"
Ren Gritted his teeth "Yes, I will be the perfect gentlemen"
Yashiro nodded "good, then I'll leave you to it, oh and don't forget to eat something."
Ren nodded and watched as Yashiro left. He pulled out his phone and called Kyoko again.
The phone rang three times and then thankfully was answered by Kyoko
" Hi Ren , I'll call you back in a second " the phone drop off and Ren looked at it disappointment until the Kyoko picture popped up requesting a video call he quickly answered and felt relief at she seeing her.
"I'm just getting ready to do the dinner service, had your dinner yet?"
"not yet but I will do soon" He watched as she sat in front of a small mirror and applied light powder to her face, she looked toward where she had her phone stood, " good don't forget , I'm sorry I haven't listened to the message you left earlier I was just about to when you called again is everything ok with you" she asked with the sweetest look on her face. Soft and loving with a small amount of sadness.
"it was just me being silly, you sounded so sad on your message earlier that I was going to come rushing down there right away"
"No, you can't come" replied Kyoko Sharply "not yet, please Ren I just need to handle this myself"
Ren paused trying not to be hurt "I know that ,I'm not coming" he paused "I trust you and I know that if you want me or need me there you'll tell me"
Kyoko looked at him chewing on her bottom lip "I'm sorry Ren, it not that I don't want you here with me, I do but just not yet, I really feel like I'm starting to get on a track, that soon I'll be not better but on the right path. it's only 3 more days until you are here anyway"
Ren sighed and watched her "you look so beautiful" a blush run up Kyoko face "do you really think so"
"if I was there, I would show you how beautiful you are"
Kyoko chuckled "would you now" she asked as she played with her hair.
Ren swallowed and shook his head "so I hear you were given the requirement for ending the contract earlier what are they?"
Kyoko sighed "well they want me to work with them two weeks every year and promote the Ryokan"
"I kind of get the promoting, not that you should have too, I mean it completely ridicules that they won't just end the contract but working for them is really pushing it"
"it's not forever only until am 25 or married"
"that's seven years they want to keep you trapped working for them keeping you connected to them"
"I will be connected to them anyway I owe them about 7,464, "
"that's rich they should be paying you for all the work you did for them for free while you lived with them, tell me you didn't just agree to that."
Kyoko just shrugged
"Kyoko how did they even come up with that amount?"
"it's supposed to cover what rent and training would have usually cost and a dowry"
"dowry, you're not marrying him so why do you need to pay that, why do you need to pay any of it. Saena the one who arranged this stupid thing she should be paying it"
Kyoko face fell " she not going to be doing anything Ren and I don't want her to, I saw her today for the first time in years and she was exactly the way I remember her and I know it probably pathetic but I still love her, she hates me Ren she literally told me that she gave me to the Fuwa's because otherwise she would had killed me and still when she said I was good at doing the tea ceremony I felt ridiculously proud like finally I'd done something to please her " Kyoko shook her head ,chuckled and wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek " that the end of our relationship , I can't do it again Ren I can't see her again, or talk to her not anytime soon because I feel like a bit of me has died , that part of me that always hoped that one day she would see me and be proud that I was hers
"that's not pathetic Kyoko , you have every right to feel whatever you feel, Love is a weird thing and in the end its Saena who going to be missing out because your amazing Kyoko, your talented, beautiful ,kind and the best person I know and she'll never get to know that but I do and I'm proud of you always and especially now, I could not do what you're doing it would have broken me but I will support you , my parents will support, Lory and Maria will support you because we love you and value you and I'm going to spend my life watching you grow and growing with you and we'll handle whatever this world send our way"
Kyoko smiled weakly "thank you Ren, if there is one thing that all this has shown me is, I really want to grow with you and I want to watch you grow too."
There was a knock on her door, Kyoko turned away from the screen "come in" she smiled as Ai stepped in
"Sorry to interrupt but it's time for dinner to start"
"okay I'll be there in just a second" Ai nodded and left the room
"well you heard her it's time for me to get back to work"
"and I should get something to eat, have a goodnight Kyoko, love you"
"love you too, see you in 3 days"
Kyoko face disappeared from his screen and Ren looked at his phone only 3 more days.
