Nipped In The Bud: A little short about how dramatically things can change with one little thoughtful action.
He couldn't believe her reaction. Didn't she hear anything of what he said? He called her plain, boring and unattractive. Even flat-chested. Yet, here she was smiling at him as if he had handed her a blank check.
She sighed in relief. "Oh thank god. I thought I would be stuck with you sponging off of me forever. Now I don't have to worry about your parents hating me." She giggled. "Thank you Sho; although, it would have been nice if you had paid at least a little bit of your own way. Oh well, I suppose beggars can't be choosers." She turned around and giggled.
"W-what? I thought you loved me." He stammered in confusion over her reaction.
She turned back to him with a furrowed brow and cocked her head to the side. She had never looked more beautiful. "Love you? No, only like a helpless little brother. I never saw you as anything more than that. I found my prince a long time ago. We've been writing to each other for ten years, but that's really none of your business now that you don't need me anymore. I have better things to do." She told him and started to walk away again.
"Oi! Get back here!" He grabbed her shoulder. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"
She brushed his hand away. "Um... Remember? You said you didn't need me anymore. I'm too plain and boring. You said you were sending me back to Kyoto."
"So you're going back?" He asked with a small voice.
She laughed at him. "NO! Of course not. There's nothing there for me. Why would I go back? So I can be a servant?" She shook her head. "Never again Shotaro. I'm no one's servant and no one's property. I am free now." She smiled brightly as if she were hiding a secret and she was.
It was a secret she and Kuon had been hiding for a six months now. They had met with her mother and she had given them permission to marry, now that Kyoko was of legal age to do so. She and Kuon had been meeting in secret from the moment she stepped into Tokyo. It had been a little rough at first, because he still carried the guilt over his friend who had been injured in a drive-by shooting. Fortunately Rick had survived and Kuu and Julie felt that for Kuon's safety he should stay with Lory for awhile after that. They didn't like the path that Rick had been leading him down. They had felt that had it not been for his contact with Kyoko, something much worse would have happened.
Her phone buzzed. The phone that Sho knew nothing about. She smiled softly and pressed the answer button. "Hey... You too... Oh, I'm at Fuji... No, I was just finishing something... No, it really wasn't that important... Really?... Sure... Okay. Bye." She hung up.
Sho stood there stunned. "Who the hell was that?"
She began walking toward the elevator. "It's really none of your business. Why should you care? You wanted to get rid of me anyway." She pressed the down button on the elevator.
"I was just asking because my parents would be pissed if anything happened to you." He lied.
She snorted a giggle. "No Sho... They really wouldn't. They haven't been concerned about me for years. I was only here to babysit you. My job is done." The elevator opened to reveal two passengers. She looked up and smiled the most loving smile that he had ever seen on her face.
"Hey..." A velvety masculine voice greeted as she flew into his arms and he chuckled as he lifted her up and twirled her around.
"Hello Kyoko-chan. We didn't expect to see you here today." The other male greeted.
She smiled as the first male took her hand as he put her back down on her feet and kissed her forehead. "Oh, I was just here making a delivery. Nothing important."
Sho and his manager stood there in stunned silence.
"So, are you done for the night? Mom and Dad wanted to see you." He asked as the doors to the elevator closed.
She nodded shyly. "Um... I think I'm going to wear this now." She removed the diamond and sapphire bauble from the necklace that had held it close to her heart and his manager squealed with glee.
He gave her a surprised look. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "All my loose ends are tied up here. I'm ready now."
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss before the doors opened to the parking garage. "You don't know how happy you've made me."
Sho looked at Shoko in disbelief. "What the hell just happened?! When did she ever meet him? She's so... plain, boring, she has no sex-appeal whatsoever and she's a stupid girl. He's old!" He ranted.
Shoko shook her head. "Sho... She's really not plain and he's not that much older than her. She is old enough to get married now, you know." She told him. She shook her head. He's still just an immature little boy.
"What are you talking about? He would never marry a girl like her." He scoffed. "She's probably just his new maid or, something."
Shoko chuckled. "Yeah... Right. If that's how he treats his maid, sign me up. I'd quit being a manager and learn to clean toilets."
Sho glared at her and stomped off to eat the burger and fries Kyoko brought for his lunch and wondered what she would have done if she actually thought of him as her prince. "Never mind..." He groused. "I'm not hungry anymore." He told her as he stomped to his dressing room and slammed the door.
He wanted to throw a brick through the television. It had just been revealed on the entertainment news that Ren Tsuruga, now known as Kuon Hizuri, was marrying his childhood friend of ten years and was soon to make his acting debut in Hollywood. It sickened him as he saw the beautiful 16 almost 17 year old raven-haired, golden-eyed girl standing next to him, who would be making her own debut in the music world after releasing several singles and 2 PVs.
Apparently him telling her all of those years that she sounded like an injured cat didn't discourage her. Apparently she had acting talent too. Producer Asami raving so much about her in her PVs made him want to vomit. "At least she's leaving. I can take my spot back on the top of the music charts." He groused. It would be a hollow victory. A victory that was gained by your enemy leaving the race was no victory at all.