2 - Offers
Ren's meeting with Lory took longer than the actor expected. Which in hindsight, he really should have predicted. The President had a strong dislike for almost all social conventions, and that included agendas for meetings and sticking to schedules. Fifty minutes passed before Ren was able to finally say goodnight and hurry back to the Love Me room. When he arrived, Ren found the door closed and the lights off. He knocked, on the slightest chance that Kyoko was sitting alone in the dark— but there was no answer. Ren swore under his breath. He'd missed his chance to talk to her in person, and he wasn't sure how long he would have to wait before he got the opportunity again.
He pulled out his phone and saw a message from Kyoko, in which she apologized profusely for not being able to wait for him. Sawara-san, who had direct orders from the President not to let the teen actress take public transit, had found the actress sitting in the Love Me room and personally escorted Kyoko down to the garage and shepherded her into a discrete LME car to take her home. She had tried to explain that she was waiting for Tsuruga-san, but that only made the section chief frown.
"I'm sure the PR department was very clear," he scolded. "You two aren't supposed to be seen together. You're in enough trouble as it is, no need to add more fuel to the fire."
Kyoko had been unable to protest. She bowed in shame and got into the provided vehicle.
Of course, Ren knew that he wouldn't have been able to drive her home. Having been followed by several paparazzi earlier in the week, Ren had to concede that his silver Porsche was too flashy and too well-known for it to be an option. But he was still bitter about it. He couldn't see Kyoko, he couldn't drive her home, and he could barely find time to talk to her on the phone. He'd just confessed his feelings to this girl — the first real confession of his life — and they'd immediately been separated. It felt like Romeo and Julielt, except the gossip columnists were a lot less poetic than Shakespeare.
He quickly tapped out a response to her message. He hoped that she made it home safely and slept well. The actor forced himself to hit send, before his thumbs could betray him by typing out how frustrated he felt at being kept apart. Ren knew she would somehow feel responsible if he said anything and he didn't want to burden her with his feelings anymore than he already had. Kyoko had enough to deal with right now. Ren knew that if they just gave it time, things would settle down and go back to normal. But that was also the problem. Time was not on Ren's side.
«×»«×»«×»
The okami-san was waiting outside in the small alleyway behind the Daruma-ya. She ushered Kyoko inside and swiftly shut the door behind them.
"I'm glad they sent a car for you," the okami-san explained. "There were some people lurking around earlier, but they seem to have left. The Taisho—"
"I'm so sorry!" Kyoko said immediately, bowing low. "I apologize for the inconvenience. I hope it wasn't too—"
"It's fine, dear, it's no trouble to us in the least" the middle-aged woman replied, giving Kyoko's hand a comforting pat. "So there's no need for you to fret, alright? You should take the night off, you look tired."
"Oh, no! I can't do that!"
The okami-san knew better than to try and argue with the girl. "Very well," she conceded. "But only in the back. Better safe than sorry."
Kyoko was relieved to don an apron and pair of rubber gloves and start washing dishes. The actress wasn't sure what she would do with herself if she was forbidden from working here, too. A small part of her grumbled at only being allowed to help in the kitchen. The Daruma-ya was a small, neighborhood joint where all of the regulars were middle-aged salary men, most of whom thought Kyoko was the niece of the owners and was working part-time while going to school in the city. It was hardly the kind of crowd that was going to tip off the paparazzi.
"Kyoko-chan," the okami-san said as she dropped off a bucket of dishes. "I forgot earlier. Your friend stopped by earlier— you know… Oh dear, for the life of me," the woman muttered. She gestured with a hand to indicate their height, sighing with relief when Kyoko nodded. "Oh, thank goodness— I'll tell you, getting older is no joke!" The okami-san said merrily. "Oh, right— your friend! They asked you to call, when you have a chance."
"Thank you, I will," Kyoko said with a bow, still up to her elbows in suds. She continued to mechanically wash plates, but now her mind was more pleasantly occupied. Moko stopped by! Kyoko couldn't wait for the restaurant to close up for the night. When the last patron left, the teen practically leapt away from the sink and scurried up to her room, clutching her cellphone.
Kanae picked up on the third ring. "Kyoko? What's up?"
"Moko-san!" Kyoko chirped loudly. "How are you? Can you talk? It's not too late, is it?"
"It's fine," Kanae said. "Listen, I'm glad you called— I wanted to tell you something. Since you've been helping me with my English, I wanted you to know it paid off," the actress said proudly.
"THAT'S WONDERFUL, MOKO-SAAAAAN!" Kyoko nearly shouted. Kanae turned down the volume several notches. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"
"Thanks. Really, I— thank you," Kanae said, somewhat bashful. Gratitude and sincerity weren't exactly her strong suit. She cleared her throat. "Actually, I was hoping that you could help me practice before I go. I just got the script today, so—"
"What? Go?"
"Oh yeah— it's being produced in the US. The director is this super weird American guy.
Or he's not American. I'm not entirely sure, honestly," Kanae said, recalling her strange meeting with the director.
Kyoko held her breath. "You're— by any chance, are you working on the same project as Tsuruga-san?"
"What? He's official, then?" Kanae asked. "Matsushima said he was auditioning, but I didn't know it was confirmed." Kanae paused. When she resumed, her voice was suspicious. "Wait, how did you know that? Are you in the Route project too?"
"What? Oh, no, I just—" Kyoko cleared her throat. "I happened to speak with Tsuruga-san today, and he mentioned it—"
"Kyoko—"
Kyoko could practically hear her friend's eyes narrow over the phone. "It's not what you think!" she said immediately. "He just happened to stop by the Love Me section. That's all."
"Fine. Just be careful, okay?" Kanae warned. "His fans are seriously scary."
"I know." Kyoko did her best to swallow the tremble in her voice. "Don't worry about me," she said, mentally scolding herself. This was no time to be feeling sorry. Moko was telling her important news, and Kyoko wanted to support her best friend. She forced herself to smile so that her voice would sound cheerful. "Tell me about your role!"
"Well," her friend began, "So there's this girl who…"
«×»«×»«×»
Kyoko was waiting for Tsuruga-san to lecture her after her failure to wait for him, but the lecture never came. When they next spoke on the phone, he didn't seem angry. If anything, it felt like he'd forgotten about her terrible behavior entirely.
"Listen, I really need to talk to you. In person," Ren clarified. "Are you free right now? I could pick you up—"
"We're not supposed to be seen together," Kyoko reminded him.
"Right. Of course—" Ren muttered something to himself under his breath that she couldn't quite catch. "Would you be able to meet at LME? We should be safe there."
She looked at the clock on the wall. "When?"
"As soon as you can get there," Ren said.
"Tsuruga-san? Is everything okay?" Kyoko asked.
"Don't worry — it's not about any more news articles," Ren said, attempting a joke. "I'd just… I'd rather tell you in person."
"Okay," Kyoko said slowly. His vagueness was making her nervous. "I think I can make it in half an hour."
The relief in Ren's voice was palpable. "I'll see you soon."
Kyoko arrived at LME almost thirty minutes later on the dot. Ren was already seated at the table in the Love Me section office, but he stood up when he saw her. Then he frowned.
"You biked here?"
"It's the fastest way," Kyoko said, setting down her helmet on a chair and seating herself across the table from Ren, surprised at his reaction. There hadn't been time to ask LME to send a car, and she wasn't about to pay for a taxi. "You said it was important."
Kyoko folded her hands on the table in between them, probably to hide her nervousness. Ren reluctantly sat back down, wishing the atmosphere felt less like a job interview. He was quiet for long enough that Kyoko gave up waiting.
"So," Kyoko said slowly. "What did you need to tell me?"
Ren took a deep breath. He'd arrived a few minutes before Kyoko and had gotten his thoughts in order. He didn't want to alarm her. He'd explain himself calmly and clearly.
Or at least, that had been his plan. What actually happened was the actor opened his mouth and only two words came out.
"I'm leaving," he said.
Kyoko looked at him blankly.
"The project I'm on," Ren said, struggling to get back on track. So much for rational explanation. "It's starting sooner than I thought." Ren looked at her. "I fly out in two days."
Kyoko felt like she was missing something. He was looking at her very much as though he expected some kind of grand reaction. Two days was certainly much sooner than she thought he'd be leaving, but Ren had already told her about filming abroad, so she wasn't sure what he wanted.
"Oh…okay," Kyoko said, mostly to fill the silence.
"Okay?" Ren repeated. "That's all you have to say?"
"I'm sorry," Kyoko said immediately, bobbing her head in submission. "I don't… Did you need something from me?"
"So that's it?" He said sharply. Kyoko's head shot up, then she quickly looked away— he was angry! "You expect me to simply leave?"
"B-but—" she floundered. "Why not?"
"You can't seriously think that I'm just going to abandon you here to deal with this mess on your own," Ren said, arms crossed.
"But… it has nothing to do with you," Kyoko said, confused.
Ren stared at her. "It has nothing to do with me? Your name is getting dragged through the mud because of me— because of my fans—"
The frustration in his voice made Kyoko wince. She supposed he kind of had a point, though.
"Alright," she conceded. "But even so, work comes first. Even if a family member dies, you keep working. That's what makes a true professional," Kyoko reminded him. She didn't add that since they weren't married or even dating the actor's objections made no sense, but Ren could see her thinking it.
Even if someone dies, Ren thought bitterly. What a load of shit. He regretted ever saying those words. Ren clenched his jaw. Nothing about this conversation was going the way he'd planned. Kyoko's initial response had immediately derailed them and he had no idea how to turn the conversation to say what he really wanted to say.
Fuck it.
"Come with me," he said quietly.
"Pardon?"
"Come with me," Ren repeated a bit louder, his conviction growing.
"I—"
"You won't have to hide from the press," he said. His carefully prepared speech was forgotten as words rushed out. "The US media doesn't care about foreign actors. You can audition for stuff, I'm sure—"
"Hold on—"
"You don't have to act if you don't want to," Ren offered. "You could take a break. Or you could come as my support, like Setsu."
"But… why? You're not in disguise," Kyoko pointed out. "Isn't Yashiro-san going with you? It would be weird, if I went. Besides, Setsu was a Love Me assignment. I would have to pay for flights and somewhere to stay," she reasoned.
"If it's about cost," Ren offered, "Don't worry about that."
Kyoko bristled in her chair. He couldn't have offended her more if he had slapped her. Kyoko was poor, but that didn't mean she had no pride. Under no circumstances would Kyoko ever think such an offer was appropriate. This was the man who told her it was inappropriate to accept clothing from men because it meant they wanted something — so how could he offer her an international trip? She struggled to swallow her embarrassment.
"I—" she began weakly.
"Please, Mogami-san," Ren said. It was so hard not to say her first name. "Please, come with me."
Tsuruga Ren was undeniably handsome. Even the bad overhead lighting couldn't diminish the sparkle in his warm brown eyes and the coaxing smile. Ren was looking at her with a small, perfectly innocent, coaxing smile. It would be near impossible for anyone in their right mind to say no.
But Kyoko was not just anyone. Ren's words echoed in her memory. After all, it was not the first time a handsome boy asked her to run away with him.
For all that Kyoko yelled at Ren for being a playboy, he was —for the most part— a gentleman. There was no emperor of the night look on his face. He wasn't trying to seduce her like some awful paperback harlequin villain. Which was, if Kyoko was being honest with herself, maybe what hurt the most. Clearly, he felt sorry for her. He probably felt responsible for the mess that she was in. All of the mean comments she had read over the past week instantly sprung into her mind. They were right. The idea of Tsuruga Ren being attracted to her— plain, boring, nothing-special Mogami Kyoko— was ridiculous. Her stomach clenched as she fought a wave of hurt and nausea.
Ren's heart dropped when she pulled her hand away.
"So," she said in a small voice. "You want me to up and follow you to America. To do what, cook your meals and do your laundry and tidy your hotel room?"
"What? No, of course not," Ren said, immediately backpedaling. "You're free to do whatever you'd like. You could get work in H—"
"I'm a minor," Kyoko began ticking reasons on her fingers, "And a foreigner. Would I even be allowed to work? And my English is passable, but I'm not fluent. Where would I stay? I don't know anyone."
"You could stay with me," Ren said, ignoring her more salient points. Kyoko looked scandalized. "Or with Kotonami-san," he added quickly. "We could figure it out. Again, if it's about the cost—"
Kyoko stood up.
"It's not about money," she said. Her back was perfectly straight, her entire body one rigid line. "I cannot go with you. And I don't want to," she added. She bowed perfunctorily. "I hope you have a pleasant trip, Tsuruga-sempai."
She turned and made a beeline for the door.
For a moment, time froze. Everything had gone horribly, horribly wrong. Ren felt like he was watching a building collapse in slow-motion. Then he blinked, and time went back to normal as he scrambled to follow after her.
"Wait," he begged. He untangled himself from his chair. He was through the doorway in two strides.
It was too late. Kyoko was gone.
«×»«×»«×»
Hot tears dripped down her cheeks as Kyoko biked home. She barely paid attention to the road. Her entire mind was turned inwards, where a million thoughts clamored and cried all at once. Her head was a cacophony of burning anger and hurt and self-loathing.
Was he making fun of her? Was that it? Or had Tsuruga-san forgotten how he had made fun of her when they'd first met, how he'd chastised her for chasing a boy— how he'd literally thrown her out onto the curb? He'd lectured her for being an idiot and now he wanted her to follow him across an ocean. Was it some kind of test? Kyoko blinked furiously. Her hands had a death grip on her handlebars as she pedaled faster, her wheels racing in time with her thoughts. Maybe it was his way of taking pity on her. Or maybe, she thought, he was trying to tell her that she had to start fresh somewhere new. Maybe he knew that his fans would never let her come back to acting. Was her career in Japan over? For good?
Kyoko whipped around the corner into the alleyway behind the Daruma-ya and nearly collided with someone. She yelled, clenching the breaks with all her strength and throwing her feet down to skid along the ground.
"What the hell?!" an annoyingly familiar voice yelled. "Watch where you're going!"
Kyoko's apology died on her lips as she saw him. Oh, great. As if today couldn't get any worse.
"Seriously, what are you thinking?! You could have killed me," the boy ranted. He followed her as she hopped off her bike and locked it to the railing. "It's a miracle we're both in one piece. Who bikes like that? You are seriously deranged, you know?"
Kyoko stood and turned to face him with a sigh. "What do you want, Shotaro?"
"Hey, where are your manners? Greet me properly," he complained.
"Just tell me why you're here," she said. "Spit it out or leave me alone."
The musician fidgeted under her amber gaze. He dropped his eyes, toying with one of the many rings on his fingers. Sho mumbled something.
"What?"
"I said," Sho repeated, "I came to check if you're okay."
Kyoko blinked at him.
"Sure. Okay." She rolled her eyes. "What did you really want?"
"It's the truth," he said defensively.
He wasn't looking at her, but Kyoko didn't need eye contact to read him like a book. Bafflingly, he was telling the truth.
"Did your mom send you?" Kyoko asked.
"No!" Sho shook his head. He fidgeted again. "Okay, well, yeah, she did— I mean, she follows a lot of celebrity gossip to keep track of me and she saw the news and said I had to come check on you," he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. Then he muttered, "But I was going to come anyway…"
"Kyoko-chan!" The okami said opened the back door, beckoning the actress. "Hurry inside! And— Oh! You again!" She smiled cheerfully at the fashionable young man. Kyoko's eyes widened as Sho bowed slightly in the older woman's direction.
"Would you like to join us for dinner?"
"No, he's leaving—" Kyoko began, but Sho was already striding forward.
"Sounds great," the singer said. "I'm starving."