A/N: After some more deliberation, I have decided to return this to its original T rating. I believe everything I've written so far is appropriate for a PG-13 movie audience, and have decided to keep things at that level for the remainder of this fic. If you have any concerns, please reach out to me. Sorry for the back and forth and thank you for your patience.

Now onto the story!

[Open on a low angle close up shot of rain hitting the pavement. The sound of slow footsteps approaching. The camera cuts to a wide shot of an empty street, where a small figure is barely visible through the sheets of rain pouring down. The figure approaches and is revealed to be Mayuko. She is soaked and walking slowly, looking down at her feet. She looks up and the camera follows her eye movement, turning to reveal the rain-blurred town skyline. Camera lingers on two glowing windows in a mid-rise apartment complex not too far away.

Shot transitions to Hatori, sitting alone in a small and cluttered apartment. He looks at his phone, absently fiddling as if waiting for a message. The noise of the rain is clear as it pounds against the small kitchen window. He stands up and grabs his coat and umbrella as if to dash out, then hesitates at the door.

Cut back to Mayuko, who is now sitting on a bench outside a storefront. There is an awning over her head, slightly sheltering her from the rain. She shivers in her wet clothes and wraps an arm around herself, looking down miserably at her soaked sneakers. The camera switches to POV shot from Mayuko's angle, staring at the wet ground. Sound of approaching footsteps, then a familiar pair of shoes enters the frame. Camera pans up slowly to reveal Hatori standing under an umbrella. He extends his hand. Cut to side view: close up on Hatori's hand, a beat passes before Mayuko's smaller hand enters the frame, hesitating for a moment before taking his as the camera fades out.

Back to Hatori's apartment. It is a small studio with a minimum amount of furniture: bed, couch, a cheap-looking coffee table scattered with papers. Partially unpacked boxes are piled in the corners and there are a few piles of clutter strewn about atop various surfaces. The camera pans across a tiny kitchen with two barstools at the cluttered countertop over to the entryway. Hatori enters, holding open the door for Mayuko. She steps in hesitantly, trying to take up as little space as possible as Hatori haphazardly discards his shoes and sets his soggy umbrella on the floor.]

"Right, let's get you a towel," Hatori said in his doctor voice. He disappeared around the corner of the apartment. Mayuko looked around, blinking slowly. It wasn't quite what she expected. A small smile played around the corners of her mouth. Carefully, she shrugged off the jacket that Hatori had draped over her shoulders and hung it on a peg by the door, then slipped off her shoes.

Hatori reappeared, looking down at her feet. "Shoot. Sorry! I, uh, don't have any guest slippers," he said, embarrassed. He had been meaning to buy them, but his shifts at the clinic had been late recently and he hadn't gotten around to it. And it wasn't like he really expected any guests, since he didn't exactly know very many people in the area, besides his coworkers. "You can wear mine! It's fine, I don't mind," he added, setting them in front of her soaked feet before she could protest. "Let me get you some dry socks. Oh, and— here! Sorry, it's a bit wrinkled, but it's clean I promise," he said, handing her a towel. Hatori disappeared again before Mayuko could say a word. He reappeared with a clean tee shirt and some sweatpants. "I don't know if these will fit you, but you should get out of your damp clothes. Bathroom's around the corner," he added, fighting down the blush on his face.

"Thank you," Mayuko said as calmly as she could. She took the clothes and disappeared around the corner.

[Camera catches a complicated look on Hatori's face: worried, hopeful, nervous. Then he jumps into action, trying to clean up the clutter around his apartment.

Cut to Mayuko in the bathroom. Hatori's clothes hang off her smaller frame. Her own clothes and the towel Hatori lent her are draped over the side of the tub to dry. She leans forward over the sink to scrutinize her appearance in the mirror, running her fingers through her towel-dried hair a few times in an attempt to look less bedraggled before giving up with a shrug.

View switches back to the main room of the apartment. Hatori is busily shoving piles underneath his couch but freezes and turns around at the sound of the bathroom door opening. Camera switches to reveal Mayuko in the doorway, partially silhouetted in the dark room. Close shot of Hatori's reaction as his face is full of hopeful admiration before he remembers to school his expression back into something more neutral.]

"Sorry, I, er… don't own a hairdryer," Hatori said, then wanted to smack himself. It was the first thing he could think of. "I can—"

"Hatori." Mayuko's voice was soft, but firm. There was a warmth in it that he had never heard before.

"Can I get you another towel? Or if you're cold, you can borrow—" Hatori abruptly cut off when he realized that she'd just said his name. Excitement and hopelessness fought inside him as he stood frozen, watching Mayuko close the distance between them with slow, deliberate steps. She stood in front of him, waiting. Then she carefully slipped her hands under his arms to wrap around his middle. Mayuko clasped her hands together behind his back, leaning back slightly to look up at him.

"You have a boyfriend," Hatori whispered regretfully, even though his own words couldn't stop his hands from settling on her waist.

"Not anymore," she replied with a shake of her head. Some other night, she would process that things with Akito were finally over. She would mourn the relationship, awful as it had been. But not right now. Right now, Mayu had other things she wanted. She looked back at Hatori and leaned in towards him.

"Wait, please listen," Hatori stuttered. "Mayuko, I— I really like you, but—" he gestured around them to his half-packed apartment, "I'm not staying here. I— my residency ends in three weeks, and then I'm going back to T—"

Mayuko put a finger on his lips, silencing him. "I know." Her smile was sad, but it was genuine. Then she removed her finger from his mouth, her hand moving to cup the back of Hatori's neck as she stood up on her tiptoes to close the distance between them. After a moment of hesitation, Hatori gave in and kissed her, his arms wrapping more firmly around her waist and he began walking them back towards the bed in the corner, until the back of Mayu's knees hit the mattress and she let herself fall back, pulling Hatori down on top of her.

[the camera angle shifts to a top down angle of Mayuko and Hatori on the bed.]

Ren kept his mind carefully blank and his lips mostly closed as he kissed Kyoko woodenly, waiting for the director's call.

"Cut! I think we got it that time." Shingai's voice echoed across the sound stage and workers began to move again. "Prep for scene 38!"

Immediately, Ren withdrew. He backed up a few steps, trying to give Kyoko as much space as the cramped apartment set would allow. The actress sat up too, looking very much like everything was completely normal; as if two seconds ago she hadn't been laying down on a bed kissing Japan's number one actor in front of three cameras and a roomful of onlookers. Compared to being on set yesterday or that evening at his apartment, she was totally different. There was no blush diffusing over her face, except the powder that had been expertly applied by the make up department.

Ren tried to tell himself that he was glad that Kyoko was behaving as if it was just another day on set. The actor reminded himself how much he generally detested filming any kind of kiss scene. It was awkward, and, if he was being honest, one of his least favorite parts of the job. But Ren was smart enough to keep that to himself — no one wanted to hear a movie star complain about how kissing gorgeous starlets under the guise of work wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It was meaningless and rote and his co-actresses frequently shoved their tongues into his mouth despite such an action not being at all warranted by the scene, much less wanted by him personally.

Unlike most of his former co-stars, Kyoko had listened seriously and attentively to the intimacy co-ordinator who had arrived on set to talk both of the actors through what was appropriate behavior necessary for their scene and what was going too far. Other actresses might take advantage of the fuzzy line between professional and unprofessional behavior, but not Kyoko. No matter how much Ren wished she would. It was a humbling experience for Ren to have someone several years younger and with much less professional acting experience maintaining a better grip on their character than he was. Last night, when she had surprised him by practically crawling into his lap, there had been a hint of nervousness about her — an anxious and excited fluttering that he could feel vibrating off her skin. But today on set the actress was so completely wrapped up in her character and the scene, Ren could tell that it was Mayuko who was kissing him. It was strange to have the body of the woman that he loved in his arms and yet be kissing a stranger. For the first time Ren wished the actress in front of him wasn't just doing her job. It wasn't exactly comforting that the girl he was supposedly dating was so good at compartmentalizing that she would flush red hot while kissing in private in his apartment but be completely cool under the stage lights.

Ren tried not to let it get to him. He really did. He reminded himself that Kyoko was slowly opening up and becoming comfortable with him at her own pace. She had finally stopped jumping whenever he put his arm around her, and she sometimes remembered to use his first name when they were alone without having to be corrected first. And while she still turned pink whenever he kissed her, she didn't freeze in that terrible way that made him feel like a predatory hawk swooping down on a field mouse.

It was for the best that it was Mayuko here with him and not Kyoko, Ren told himself. If it was Kyoko, she would be embarrassed. And besides, he didn't want to do these kinds of things with her for the first time as a pantomime in front of cameras. Ren wanted it to be real.

He let out a long sigh.

"I-is something the matter?" Kyoko asked, a worried frown on her face. It was mostly a rhetorical question. Something was obviously the matter, since it had taken them eight takes before Shingai had given his OK on the scene. But whatever was wrong, neither the director nor Ren had given her any specific feedback. That only made her more anxious. Was she doing a bad job? Surely they'd tell her if she wasn't performing well… right? "Am I doing something wrong?"

"No, it's not that." Ren sighed again, running his hands through his hair roughly. "It's my fault we kept getting NGed," he admitted, unwilling to look at Kyoko as he said the words. Conscious of the stagehands moving around them, Ren dropped his voice to barely above a whisper. "It's my first time doing a scene like this with someone…" Ren trailed off, clearing his throat. "I don't want to do these kinds of things while wearing a mask."

"You mean… while we're acting in a role?" Kyoko asked, confused by his strange wording.

Ren subconsciously wrapped a hand around his wrist. He was silent for a moment, staring at the floor before he met her gaze with a strained half-smile.

"Err, sorry to interrupt— water?" Yashiro appeared, proffering two bottles. Kyoko took one, grateful for the manager's appearance, since it seemed to snap Ren back to normal. She took a sip as Yashiro commented, "It's not like you, Ren, to have so many NGs. Especially on a kiss scene," Yashiro commented absently, causing Kyoko to choke. She tried to swallow, coughing as the water went down the wrong pipe. Yashiro jumped, then proceeded to lightly pound her on the back. "Are you alright, Kyoko-chan?!"

"Yes, I'm fine!" Kyoko managed once she had her throat back under control.

"Sorry!" Yashiro said genuinely. "It was just a joke!"

"Was it?" Ren's voice was dangerously smooth, causing Yashiro to swallow guiltily. "Forgive me if I don't find this kind of scene the easiest to film."

"I'll bet," Yashiro muttered under his breath. The manager couldn't help it, it just slipped out. Barely above a whisper, but evidently not quietly enough as Ren glared daggers at his manager before shoving the water bottle at his chest.

"Thank you for the water," Ren's brow twitched and he gave Yashiro a distinctly icy smile that clearly said get out of my sight.

"Ready for scene 38!" a stagehand yelled out from across the stage. Yashiro collected Kyoko's water bottle and promptly scurried off and back to the sidelines.

They managed to finish the next scene in just four takes. The shots were strangely clinical to film, as the camera operators were right up close with Kyoko and Ren. It felt more like being on the examination table at the doctor's office than an intimate, private moment between two people in a bedroom. Ren still sprang instantly away from Kyoko as soon as he heard the director call cut, but Shingai was finally satisfied. The scene wasn't meant to be explicit after all, merely suggestive: a close up of Hatori's hand running up the outside of Mayuko's thigh, her hand clutching the back of his shirt, a tendril of long brown hair splayed across white bed sheets, interwoven fingers. It would be a quick sequence of clips before the camera would tastefully pan away to the rainy window and the scene outside and fade to black. When he was satisfied they had enough footage, the director cheerily dismissed them all for lunch. Ren breathed a silent sigh of relief.

After lunch they filmed Mayuko and Hatori's goodbye scenes. With those finished, Ren's scenes were officially all shot, and the number of scenes still left to film was rapidly dwindling. Kyoko had another week or so of filming, including the final scene of the movie. Director Shingai enjoyed the poignancy of shooting the finale last. It was poetic, Shingai said, since it was Kyoko's debut film, that the last shot be only of Mayuko. And more practically, it required the cafe interior set to be slightly modified, and so he had held back on filming that scene until all of the other cafe interior shots had been finalized.

Director Shingai announced that Hatori's scenes were finally complete and everyone in the studio, including Kyoko, began to clap and cheer as the actor bowed, thanking the crew for supporting his work. A small crowd began to form around Ren of various crew members who wanted to congratulate him and ask for autographs and photos. Kyoko slipped away, deciding to use the time to change out of costume.

When she emerged from her dressing room, Ren was waiting for her. Yashiro was once again absent, having already gone back to the office to take care of some paperwork. Kyoko hesitated for a moment, then fell in step beside Ren as he led the way to the parking lot. Kyoko bit her lip, questions bubbling up. Was he going to drive her back to the Darumaya? Or maybe somewhere else? To his apartment? They hadn't made plans for tonight, so she wasn't sure. If she asked him, would that be too forward? Kyoko bit her lip, glancing sideways at Ren through her lashes. He caught her glance and smiled.

"Where to?" Ren asked as started the engine and began to reverse out of the parking spot. He tried not to sound too eager as he asked, "you don't have plans tonight, do you?"

Kyoko shook her head shyly.

"Then would you join me for dinner?" Ren asked with a smile.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Kyoko asked.

Ren gave her a puzzled look. "Why would I mind?"

"I— well, it's just— maybe you wanted some time to yourself, since…" Kyoko trailed off.

"Are you sick of me already?"

"What?! No!" Kyoko jolted in her seat so quickly that the automatic lock on her seatbelt kicked in and she jerked to a stop mid-turn. The teen looked at Ren, whose smile told her that he had been teasing her, and she settled back into the seat with as much affronted dignity as she could muster. Ren's eyes danced as he watched her.

"In that case, what would you like for dinner?"

They decided on having dinner at his apartment. It had been a while since she had the chance to cook, plus Kyoko wasn't about to turn up the opportunity to re-stock Ren's kitchen. She couldn't be there to ensure that he ate every meal, but she would do her best to at least make it so that Ren couldn't duck out of meals simply by claiming there was nothing edible in his fridge. The actor dutifully carried around the shopping basket, not complaining when Kyoko scolded him for always reaching for the most expensive option or when she loaded up the basket with more than ingredients for just dinner. He staunchly (but politely) refused to let her pay, silencing her protests with one Cain-style sad puppy look and handing his card to a baffled cashier, then sweeping up the shopping bags with one hand and Kyoko's fingers with the other. When they arrived back to his apartment, Ren helped Kyoko unload groceries and did his best to pay attention as she attempted to teach him how to stock a pantry and which items could go into the cupboard versus what needed to go into the fridge. And if he got distracted a few times by how adorably domestic she looked while in command of his kitchen, well, that was only to be expected. When it came time for Kyoko to actually cook, Ren was promptly herded out of the kitchen and told to go relax until he was summoned back when the food was ready.

"Thank you for cooking, it smells delicious," Ren said as he sat down.

Kyoko waved off his praise. "It's nothing! I'm sorry it's so simple, I should have made something fancier."

"No, it's perfect," he replied. "Although now that I'm thinking about it, I should have insisted on taking you out for dinner." Kyoko gave him a confused look. He elaborated, "to celebrate. For the wrap."

"You don't have to do that!" Kyoko insisted. "Besides, I still have shots to finish."

"You're right," Ren said, relenting. "We'll have to wait until after the wrap party, then we can celebrate properly, just the two of us."

"Wrap party?" Kyoko looked up.

"It's next week," the actor clarified. He blinked at her uncomprehending look. "You must have been changing when Shingai announced it."

"Oh." Kyoko put down her chopsticks. She knew that they were nearing the end of Bitter Sweet Heart. Part of Kyoko was excited. She had been filming for almost seven weeks, and the schedule had been non-stop. She was looking forward to having her days return to normal — at least for a little bit, before she figured out her next roles. But the thought of saying goodbye to playing Mayuko made her chest ache a bit. She wasn't ready for it to be over.

Ren seemed to sense her thoughts. "It's flown by, hasn't it?" He mused. The summer was practically over. Getting to spend so many days with Kyoko on set had made the time pass quickly. Ren was normally glad when a project wrapped up — it meant he got to start something new. But for once, he wasn't quite ready to move on. He almost wished the production would hit a snag and drag on, so that his days on set with her could continue. But Ren knew that was selfish to wish. Kyoko seemed subdued, and he tried to think of something that would cheer her up. "When is Kotonami-san back? Maybe you could invite her to the party."

Kyoko shook her head. "Moko-san has two more weeks of filming." The day that Kanae arrived back was marked in Kyoko's calendar — Yashiro had helped her block it off so she would be free to greet Moko-san at the airport. The teen cheered up, joyfully telling Ren all about her plans to surprise her friend while the actor congratulated himself on the mood change and tried not to be too jealous.

«×»«×»«×»«×»«×»

Between the final scene, reshoots, and voice-over recordings, the following week passed by quickly, taking up almost all her hours. Plus Kyoko still had Bridge Rock on Thursday evening, which was fun but exhausting. She spent her few free hours helping out at the Daruma-ya and getting ahead on her schoolwork (she was almost, finally, ready to graduate).Yashiro had cautioned her about taking on too many projects for the fall, since as the film's lead she would have to be available for lots of press and promotional appearances leading up to the film's release.

Ren's schedule was also filling up. It shouldn't have felt weird, since there had been periods when they weren't working together and she only saw him occasionally, but after so much time spent together, Kyoko couldn't help noticing his absence. There was a tall, lanky, Tsuruga Ren-shaped hole in her life. Although the actor did his best to fill it even when they couldn't see each other, texting her each morning and calling every night. Some days they only managed to chat for a few minutes, and Ren always sounded forlorn whenever Kyoko bade him goodnight. He declared that he would talk to Yashiro tomorrow about making time in his schedule to see her.

"You don't have to do that," Kyoko scolded in a flustered tone. "I mean, your work should come first!"

Work should come first. Why did I ever tell her that? Ren wanted to travel back in time, just to kick some sense into his former self. If he hadn't been such a workaholic jerk when they had first met, perhaps he wouldn't be struggling as much to persuade her to spend time with him now. "I'm not neglecting my work," the actor answered. "I have a certain amount of flexibility with my commitments."

"You don't have to do that for me!"

"I'm doing it because I want to." The actor paused, hoping his meaning would sink in. It was impossible to tell without seeing her face how she was twisting his words in her head to suit some kind of strange, Kyoko-brand logic. "Spending time with you is a priority for me," Ren said, doubling down. "Unless you're trying to tell me to get lost," he joked.

"You know it's not that," Kyoko mumbled. Playboy, she had wanted to say. What sensible Japanese person could spout the nonsense he did with such earnesty? Part of Kyoko was glad they were talking on the phone— she wasn't sure she could handle seeing his face when he said such a thing. Her heart might explode (because of love or his lack of propriety, she couldn't tell.)

"Have you figured out what you're wearing on Wednesday?" Ren asked, changing topics. "If you don't have anything to wear, I could take you shopping."

"Tsuruga-san!"

"What?" was his cheeky response.

"I— you— You said—" Kyoko spluttered. "B-but you're a man!"

"Yes." Still more amusement.

"So I can't let you buy me clothes!" Kyoko tried to explain calmly, but she was too frazzled. "It would— you said— it wouldn't be appropriate!" She squeaked out at last, not having the courage to repeat the words he'd said to her that time. When a man buys a woman clothes, it means he has an ulterior motive — he wants to have his way with her.

The line was silent for a moment, as both actors relived the memory of Dark Moon's fateful wrap up party.

"I think I remember the conversation you're referring to," Ren said at last. He cleared his throat, trying to cough away his embarrassment. Dammit, past me. It's like you wanted to make this hard for yourself. He paused. "I'm… glad that you took that conversation to heart."

"Of course!" Kyoko squeaked out. Her voice was somewhat muffled by the fact that she was talking into her phone through her hands.

"But," Ren continued, "what I failed to mention at the time was that there are some exceptions. Namely, since I am your boyfriend, I should be allowed to buy things for my girlfriend."

For a full ten seconds, Kyoko was silent as her brain tried to process. Ren had just called himself her boyfriend. Which he was, of course. Kyoko knew that. But she knew it in the way that she knew other abstract bits of knowledge, like the fact that the planet was currently spinning on its axis at thousands of kilometers per hour, despite the ground feeling solid beneath her feet. Tsuruga-san was technically her boyfriend, but first and foremost, Tsuruga-san was Tsuruga-san. Hearing him referred to as anything else felt strange.

And for him to call her, Mogami Kyoko, plain, boring, limp-noodle Kyoko, his girlfriend. That certainly did not seem right.

"Kyoko? Are you still there?"

"Yes! I mean, no! Well, I am here," Kyoko correctly herself quickly, "but I mean no— you shouldn't buy me things. I don't think that's a good idea, Tsuruga-san. You have no concept of money."

"Pardon?" Ren asked, genuinely baffled. "I… what?"

"It would make me very worried." Kyoko's voice was deadpan. She remembered only too vividly how readily her senpai had pulled out his wallet as Cain, ready to spend millions of yen in the blink of an eye. Kyoko wasn't vain enough to think that Tsuruga-san would dote on her the way that Cain doted on Setsu, but based on his grocery store habits, she didn't trust him one bit. It was a miracle he had any money at all.

Ren had no response to her statement, only a thousand questions that sprung to his mind. He floundered. "Can I at least give you a ride?"

Inwardly, Kyoko breathed a sigh of relief. "O-okay. I mean, if you're sure it won't be a bother! I can also just take the—"

"It's not a bother at all," Ren said genuinely. "I can't wait to see you."

«×»«×»«×»«×»«×»

Kyoko stood in front of her closet, frowning. She flipped through her options again, pausing to evaluate a dress, only to put it back, then pull it out, then put it back again with a sigh. Nothing she owned seemed right. Not that Kyoko was exactly sure what one was supposed to wear to a wrap-up party. The season wrap party for Box R had taken place directly after they finished the final episode so everyone had been in costume and Kyoko hadn't been able to attend the party for A Lotus in the Mire due to a scheduling conflict (and besides, she had no real desire to hang out with Koga Hiromune anymore than she had to). And for Dark Moon,... Kyoko shook her head. The gave each of her dress options a stare, hoping one of them would magically light up and save her the headache of having to choose.

If only she had Moko-san's innate sense of style, Kyoko thought forlornly. Kanae always looked perfectly elegant and appropriately dressed. And it didn't hurt that Moko-san was incredibly gorgeous, and looked good in everything she wore. Moko-san!

The teen dove for her phone, rapidly shooting off a series of text messages, squealing with delight (even though she knew that Moko-san would complain about getting so many messages in a row). If only Moko-san was back in Japan, then they could have gone shopping together! But at least she could help her from afar. She paced her room anxiously as she waited for the reply.

From 'Moko-san' 2:33 PM: We really need to talk about your definition of emergency.

2:33 PM: You're lucky I'm wrapped for the day.

2:35 PM: Well? Send me your options!

Kyoko could practically see Moko-san's annoyed face just by reading the message. The actress smiled to herself as she snapped a quick picture of each dress to send to her friend.

Mogami Kyoko 2:38 PM: 4 images attached

Mogami Kyoko 2:39 PM: THANK YOU SO MUCH MOKO-SAN YOU ARE THE BESTTTT!

Mogami Kyoko 2:39 PM: Also how was your shoot today? What is your schedule like? Can we chat on the phone tomorrow? I can't wait until you are back I miss you so much!

From 'Moko-san' 2:47 PM: I'd go with the blue.

Mogami Kyoko 2:48 PM: SO CRUEL! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY YOU MISS ME TOO!

Mogami Kyoko 2:49 PM: ( ) MOKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-SAAAAN

From 'Moko-san' 2:51 PM: What are your shoe options?

«×»«×»«×»«×»«×»

Ren arrived at the Daruma-ya ten minutes early. He parked and hopped out, adjusting his tie nervously as he walked to the restaurant's back door and knocked twice. Ren couldn't help the relief he felt when it was the hostess who opened the door.

"Tsuruga-san! Good evening," the Okami said, stepping back to make room for him. "Please, come inside. Kyoko is almost ready."

"Thank you," Ren bowed politely. "Please pardon my intrusion."

"Nonsense, make yourself at home!" The older woman smiled cheerfully. She gestured to an unfamiliar pair of slippers on the floor.

Ren looked down at the slippers in question. He was positive they were new; the smart blue-and-black check pattern looked decidedly crisp. And moreover, they looked large enough for his feet. Ren hesitated. "Are—"

"No need to feel shy," the okami said with a chuckle. "They're nice, aren't they? She picked out a good pair." The hostess was already wandering back towards the living area.

Ren stood frozen in the entryway, a lump in his throat. She picked out a good pair. He looked back down at his feet, wiggling his toes uncertainly. Kyoko had bought these. For him. He felt a prickling sensation behind his eyes. Ren took a deep breath, schooling his expression back to neutral and getting his emotions under control.

Until Kyoko appeared, hopping eagerly down the stairs and causing his heart to leap into his throat for the second time in less than three minutes. She said goodnight to her landlady, then turned towards Ren, a pair of heeled sandals in her hand and a nervous smile on her face.

"Thank you for coming to pick me up," Kyoko said. She smoothed the fabric of her dress. "Do I look okay?"

Ren couldn't speak. He tried, it came out as a croak. He swallowed, then tried again. "You look lovely," Ren said honestly. His eyes swept over her. She was wearing a pale blue dress that brought out the warm honey color of her eyes and auburn hair. A gauzy skirt fell over her hips and swooshed nicely around her legs, her waist accented by a matching sash tied in a bow. Ren swallowed again. Lovely did not begin to cover it. But if Ren opened his mouth to say anything more, he worried he would never stop talking. Then he caught a familiar pink sparkle on her wrist. "You're wearing the bracelet I got you."

"Oh, yes!" Kyoko touched her wrist daintily, brushing the stones with her fingertips. "Does it look okay?" Truthfully, she wasn't quite sure that it really went with her dress. But it was the only nice jewelry that she owned, and she was going to a part, right? So… it had seemed like the right occasion to wear it. "If you think it doesn't go, I can't take it off," Kyoko began, but Ren shook his head.

"It looks wonderful. You look wonderful," Ren amended. The bracelet looked fine. It was a nice bracelet, of course, but Kyoko made it look a thousand times more stunning. She would always outshine any gem in his eyes. Christ, he was getting sappy. "Shall we?"

Kyoko bent down to tug on her shoes and Ren took off the slippers with only a twinge of reluctance. When he offered her a hand to help her stand up, he was pleasantly surprised when Kyoko took it and proceeded to hold his hand as they made their way out the door. No, he was more than pleasantly surprised. Ren was delightedly stunned. He managed to usher Kyoko into his car on autopilot.

The drive over to the party was quiet. Ren kept his eyes on the road, mostly for fear that if he looked at Kyoko, he would forget that he was driving. The actress kept anxiously fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist every thirty seconds, as if to check that it was still there. The arrived at the venue and Ren handed his key to an elated looking valet and then reached for Kyoko's hand, but she twitched it away.

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko said under her breath with hushed urgency, "we're at work!"

"No one else is around," Ren said, not quite pouting. Then he frowned. "Do you have to call me Tsuruga-san?"

"Of course!" Kyoko hissed as her eyes darted around them. "What would people think if I were to just start calling you b—"

"Nobody is going to think twice about it," Ren pointed out, counting off reasons as they strolled into the building. "We're from the same company. We've worked together before on other projects. We eat lunch together every day, I drive you to and from set. People probably think that it's strange that you do call me 'Tsuruga-san'."

Kyoko looked startled, and Ren regretted saying it. This wasn't the right place to bring it up. And Kyoko had a point — they weren't technically at work, but they were at a work function, and Ren really should know better. He pressed his lips together, about to apologize, when he felt a familiar hand on his arm.

"Ren-kun! Kyoko-chan! Perfect timing!" Kijima said loudly, giving both of his co-stars a friendly squeeze on the shoulder. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Has it?" Ren asked, glaring icy daggers at the smaller man. Thankfully Kijima got the hint, dropping his hand off Kyoko's arm.

"I guess not," Kijima said, momentarily cowed. But unfortunately, it didn't last long. "Let's go get a drink! Sorry, Kyoko-chan," Kijima pouted, then winked at Kyoko, "grown-ups only."

Ren was dragged away not a second later, Hidehito determinedly pulling Ren in the direction of the bar, chattering all the way.

"Whiskey, on the rocks," Kijima said to the bartender, then looked at Ren.

"The same," Ren said after a moment, giving in with a resigned sigh.

"C'mon, that's not fair!" Hidehito complained goodnaturedly, leaning an elbow on the bartop. "You shouldn't look so handsome while being such a drag."

"Here you are," the bartender said, sliding two identical glasses forward. "Separate or together?"

"What? It's not open bar? Man, I can't believe they cheaped out," Kijima groused. "Together," he told the barkeeper, then picked up his drink and swung around, leaving Ren to pay the tab.

For a moment the atmosphere around the tall star seemed to turn strangely dark and the bartender was frightened. But then it passed, and Ren was handing over a black credit card, and the worker behind the bar guessed it must have been a trick of the light.

"Close the tab, please," Ren said, smiling brightly. He was going to kill Hidehito. He signed the tab, pocketed his card, and picked up his drink, scanning the room for where the irresponsible actor had wandered off to, but finding that Kijima had, at least temporarily, saved himself by disappearing into the crowd.

Ren spotted Kyoko, talking with her co-stars. He made his way over, gently touching the back of her arm and was rewarded when she looked up at him with a warm smile and slid over to make room for him to join the circle of conversation. Ren had never been one for cast parties, but he decided that when Kyoko was next to him, they didn't seem so bad. In fact, he might even come to enjoy them. It was worth the small talk, to see Kyoko chatting so animatedly with the cast and crew. And she looked so lovely. They were standing close together — not touching, but close. Ren couldn't keep his eyes from constantly sliding back to her, his attention only half-focused on the conversation around him.

The evening was passing so pleasantly that it took Ren several minutes to register who had just walked through the doors. And even then, it was only because Ren noticed Kyoko going stiff next to him. He turned his head, following her line of sight. The actor's eyes narrowed.

Of course, it made sense that he had been invited. After all, he was involved in the production (if only very tangentially). When the singer had not been there at the start, Ren had hoped that Fuwa would skip out on the event entirely. But of course, that was too good to be true. The rock star had shown up late, as usual. Sho's eyes scanned the room, narrowing to slits when he spotted Kyoko and Ren standing together. He began to march determinedly toward them.

"Fuwa-kuuuuun!" Hidehito called loudly. "You owe me a drink!" He swung an arm around the musician's shoulders, pulling Fuwa towards the bar much in the same way he had earlier to Ren. When Kijima caught Tsuruga's eye, he gave a conspicuous wink.

Perhaps Hidehito wasn't such a bad wingman after all, Ren thought with grim amusement. But as fun as the laidback actor could be, Ren doubted that Kijima could keep Sho away from Kyoko the entire night. Ren regretted closing his tab at the bar — he would have bought both the singer and his co-star drinks all night, if it would keep Fuwa away.

Luckily, Ren didn't have to worry too much. As perceptive as always, Director Shingai seemed to sense the shift in the party atmosphere, and stood to make a short speech. Glasses of champagne were handed out among all present, and the director ended his remarks with a toast to Bitter Sweet Heart's success. Everyone cheered loudly as they raised a glass. Kyoko cheered too, but hesitated with the flute in her hands.

"Aww, c'mon, you gotta drink!" her co-star Arisa said playfully. "It's your movie, isn't it?"

"It's everyone's movie," Kyoko replied modestly, her cheeks flushed. Arisa gave her a look, and Kyoko gave in, raising her glass to clink and taking a small sip from the flute.

"Now, it wouldn't be a proper wrap party without something special to celebrate the occasion," Director Shingai said, once the toasting had settled down. "So we wanted to share a sneak peek with everyone. And since the film is Bitter Sweet, it's only appropriate that what we show you tonight fits that theme. I hope you'll all enjoy it. Roll the clip!" Shingai yelled, and the lights dimmed as the assembled crowd gave a collective 'ooh' and a project screen was quickly unfurled and set up.

[Bitter Sweet Heart - Final Scene

The camera opens inside the cafe kitchen. It is brighter than before — the walls have been repainted a cheerful peachy color and light streams in through a previously shuttered window. Mayuko is busy rolling out dough on the main worktable. Her uniform is new: a cheerful spring blue shirt peeks out from under an apron. She is humming a little to herself as she works the dough, cutting thin strips to make a lattice top for a pie. The camera follows Mayuko around as she bustles about the kitchen and puts the pie in the oven.

Cut to Mayuko coming out towards the front counter. The cafe interior has been changed slightly too: a fresh coat of paint and the cheerfully redone signs that hang above the counter give the cafe a fresher, brighter air. Mayuko stands behind the counter. She looks down, nose wrinkling as she dusts flour off of her apron. The familiar jingle of the bell above the door is heard.

Camera changes positions to mimic the view of someone just entering the cafe. A tall figure stands too close for the camera to catch more than a slice of dark hair and part of a broad shoulder. Beyond the figure, the camera focuses on Mayuko. She looks up, a standard friendly greeting ready for her first customer of the day. Her face freezes, turning surprised, then excited as she scrambles out from behind the counter towards the person in the foreground. Her arms come up as if to hug them and the last shot is her hands reaching out as Mayuko comes closer, before the camera fades to black.

The screen remains black as the first few notes of a piano chord begin to play.]

The lights slowly came back up in the room, but the song continued to play. The piano chords progressed slowly as an acoustic guitar joined in, and then, a few measures later, a familiar voice.

Ren felt like he could see the shift in the crowd, the collective perking of ears and attentive lean forward. The room was hushed, as if some magical being had cast a quieting spell across the listeners. Even Kyoko, who had looked skeptical at first, was listening. Her eyes had slid half-closed, and she seemed focused on something not-near and not-far; something that Ren couldn't see. He looked away, eyes scanning across the room when he locked gazes with Fuwa. There was nothing but triumph in the musician's challenging glare as he stared back at the movie star.

Ren dropped his eyes. He gave in and began to listen. The imagery of the lyrics stirred in his brain along with a patient, wistful, building melody that — despite Ren's reluctance — seemed to resonate somewhere in his chest. The actor imagined that this was not the song the producers thought that Fuwa Sho would make when they hired him for the production. Ren was not familiar with his music except for the Prisoner PV, but this was nothing like that. The thrashy, bold electric guitar and thumping bass were gone along with the strange echoing vocal effects. The song was bare; it was honest. It was a perfect expression of Mayuko's story. Out of the corner of his eye, Ren saw Kyoko reach up to wipe her eye hastily.

When the song ended, there was a moment of silence. And then the assembly burst into thunderous applause, screaming and clapping and cheering. Some people even began to stomp their feet, more of the crowd joining in until the floor began to tremble and shake.

From behind Ren, a voice cut through all the noise.

"Kyoko."

Post A/N:

1 - I am sorry for the delay on this chapter. I took a bit of a digital break at the end of November, and then getting back into writing was tough! Thank you so much to everyone who helped me and listened to me whine, and thank you to everyone reading for your patience.

2 - The name of this chapter is a song from the musical Waitress, and also what I used for the basis of Bitter Sweet Heart. As I am usually pretty meh about songs incorporated into fics, I have not added any lyrics. But for those who are curious, I highly recommend listening to the version on youtube by Alison Luff.