Hello ladies and gents!
Between CH5 and CH6, Ren has met everyone's favorite chicken. I didn't want to rehash everything from the manga and beat a dead horse, so you can just assume that their conversation played out pretty much the same. Most importantly, Ren asked Bo what being in LOVE feels like...
Also, please don't forget to leave a fave or a review! I know fanfic is free, but just think of leaving a short review like tossing your spare change in that tip jar for your minimum-wage-making Starbucks barista. ;) Every cent helps!
CH6
Despite its deceptive name, the Official Residence of the Prime Minister of Japan, the Souri Daijin Kantei did not house the Prime Minister and his family. Per tradition, the PM and his family actually resided in the Souri Kotei.
The Souri Kotei residence was an old, purportedly haunted brick building of the Art Deco-style that had been built before the end of World War II. As the site of one PM assassination and two violent coups, it was said that the Kotei's walls were as rich with history as they were with vengeful ghosts. As the government outgrew the Kotei, the PM and his cabinet shifted its business to the newly-built Souri Daijin Kantei.
The Kantei was a place solely for meetings and diplomacy, not for residence. In stark contrast to its predecessor, the Kantei was a work of sleek, modernistic beauty – all glass and steel and polished, light-grain wood.
Therefore, when the matter of Prime Minister Ogata's 35th birthday was considered, the event planners and Diet members willfully ignored the protests of the Kantei's security chief and unanimously decided that the celebration should take place at the new "residence".
Not that they were more unnerved by the recent rumored ghost sightings at the Kotei than concerned about a potential security compromise at the Kantei… They just wanted to demonstrate the modernity and class of Japan to the royalty, media, celebrities, and dignitaries who would surely attend.
And since the Prime Minister was the youngest in Japanese history, and a popular man at that, his birthday gala necessitated grandeur. The Kantei building would produce a setting that would not disappoint –unlike the old (and possibly haunted) Kotei.
Thus, on the night of Prime Minister Ogata's 35th birthday, the Kantei was open to those invited.
Dressed in glittering floor-length dresses, tuxedoes, and traditional kimonos, party guests gaped at the main entrance's starkly modern glass walls, which contrasted against the warm maple panels of the high ceiling. Once past the security guards posted at the entrance and across the threshold, air conditioning and cool granite floors swept away the stifling heat of the Tokyo summer.
Members of the Japanese royal family, politicians, family and friends of the Prime Minister, as well as specially invited guests of the entertainment world marveled together at the moso bamboo and aji granite of the Inner Court.
Few ventured past the glass walls into the actual courtyard, since the rooftop had been retracted for the night. While this allowed moonlight to swathe the Inner Court in an ephemeral glow, it also let in the sweltering summer humidity.
Ushered by staff, the trickle of guests meandered up the central staircase and into the Grand Hall.
A little more than a hundred guests milled around the Grand Hall to the strains of a full orchestra. Foreign dignitaries rubbed shoulders with the patriarchs of prominent families and popular, well-decorated actors. Staff dressed in sharply pressed tuxedos offered colorful assortments of Japanese-Western fusion hors d'oeuvres and a variety of refreshing beverages.
Meanwhile, down the hall in a much less grandiose room, Tsuruga Ren tried not to panic.
-x-
For probably the fiftieth time that night, Ren had to quash the urge to fidget with the buttons on his lapel. It was an elegant black suit, a hybrid between an army officer's uniform and a tuxedo jacket. Golden trim traced the lapels and the braided gold epaulettes were appropriately stiff on his broad shoulders. The jacket was complete with modern suit lapels, coattails, and rows of tasteful, shiny metal buttons.
To everyone else in the room, Ren looked regal. In his own mind, he was a confused, tumultuous mess.
To soothe his convulsing emotions, Ren settled for smoothing the black velvet of his military officer-esque cap and straightening the metal peony insignia that rested on the brim. Lost in thought, he traced with one thumb the smooth, white masquerade mask attached to his hat. His slow, deliberate movements belied his racing thoughts.
The chicken must have been wrong. There was no way he could've been right. But then again, his prediction about Ren's… symptoms had been uncannily accurate… But then again, who takes love advice from a chicken?
Ren mentally corrected himself. He knew that the chicken wasn't a real chicken, but an LME staff member dressed in a comical costume, but the idea that an actual human being, one of his co-workers, was waltzing around with choice details about the invincible Agent T's dark past in addition to juicy tidbits about his love life–
Ren stopped that train of thought. He was starting to feel slightly queasy. It was better to just think of the chicken as a chicken. Which led him back to his earlier dilemma – whether or not to take love advice from said chicken.
Around him, oblivious to the LME agent's plight, the room bustled with preparing performers, many of whom (women) glanced at Ren's handsome face then turned to giggle and whisper to one another.
Regaining his composure for a moment, he smiled to a few of them and nodded his head. On cue, all of them blushed and three nearly swooned. Fortunately for Ren, the character he was playing tonight was close enough to that of "Tsuruga Ren" that he could get by without too much thought.
Ienari Ryota – a consummate gentleman, albeit with a slight manipulative streak – had studied formal dancing in the ballrooms of Vienna, Paris, and most recently America. He had returned from his travels to Japan, where he opened his own dance studio.
Since Japanese culture tended to scorn dancing, due to its encouragement of public, bodily contact between a man and a woman, Ryota had a difficult time finding customers. Until one day, he ran into his high school friend, Koiso Aiko. Although, Aiko preferred to call herself Ryota's rival.
After much hardship, Ryota managed to "convince" her to join his dance studio, and over time the business had grown. The invitation to perform at the Prime Minister's birthday celebration was a surprise, but since the party planners had arranged a mid-nineteenth century European theme, they wanted to hire the dancers to perform a couple of exhibition dances. The rarity of Western ballroom dance studios in Tokyo had worked in Ryota's favor.
Ren, as Ryota, was now waiting patiently outside "Aiko's" dressing room for her to finish getting ready.
Having run through his character back story and profile, Ren attempted to next distract himself from thinking about the chicken's most upsetting comment by mentally going through the performance's dance steps. Maria had drilled Ren hundreds of times until he was sure that he could perform the Viennese Waltz in his sleep.
Lost in thought, Ren did not notice the dressing room door opening. A small, gloved hand whizzed through the air and smacked Ren solidly on the back.
A loud female voice boomed out – "Yo~, Ryota-kun! What are you doing near my dressing room? Trying to sneak a peak? I always knew you were a pervert!"
Mentally, Ren nearly jumped out of his skin. To the rest of the room, he merely appeared mildly surprised.
As he turned, he smiled to hide that he was caught off-guard. "Oh, you're done, Koiso-san? I apologize that I didn't–"
Ren's words trickled away, lost, as he gazed upon the young woman in front of him. From the high, side-swept auburn curls of her hair to the elegant loops of diamond and pearl that graced her neck to the royal blue and white satin dress that bared her dainty shoulders and tapered flatteringly at her waist – Ren took in his partner, at a loss for words.
The chicken's dreaded, yet puzzling parting words broke through the agent's best mental defenses.
'Just by gazing upon her face… No matter how weary you are, you will feel happy. Deep inside your heart, you will feel a warmth… Normally, we call this "love."'
At that moment, Tsuruga Ren did not find the chicken's description quite so puzzling anymore. But on reflex, the logical part in the back of his mind argued back, 'But you can't! Don't forget…'
"What? No compliments? I would've thought they'd trained you better in Europe," Mogami Kyoko as Koiso Aiko harrumphed. "As usual, you're no fun at all, Ryota-kun. No wonder you're still not popular with the ladies."
Her hands, cloaked in elbow-length white satin gloves, betrayed her bravado as they nervously picked at the golden braided trim of her white masquerade mask. Aiko, though a whiz at academics and a decent socializer, was deathly afraid of public performances.
In fact, she had proclaimed herself Ryota's rival after he had stolen from her the honor of class speaker at their high school entrance ceremony. Aiko had been the original speaker, but she had fainted on her walk up to the stage.
Ren absent-mindedly noted that Kyoko's subtle nervousness with her hands was a nice testament to that aspect of her character.
"No reply?" Aiko said with narrowed eyes. "Ryota-kun, you're acting really weird today…"
At the mention of his cover name, Ren snapped back to awareness and did the first thing that came to mind. He smiled brilliantly and took his partner's hand in his, leaning down until his lips made contact with her gloved knuckles.
For a heartbeat, Ren was filled with regret. What had he just done? Ryota was a thorough gentleman and knew the physical boundaries of the typical Japanese female. Despite his closed eyes, he could almost sense the shockwave of embarrassment and aversion that jolted through Kyoko's body. However, when he opened his eyes and straightened, he was pleased to see that she had held her character through the onslaught and only appeared slightly mortified. Her mouth gaped open and closed as she tried to retort.
'I wonder if that's Aiko or Kyoko?' Ren thought as he let out a small chuckle. Despite his rash actions, he supposed he could excuse his overly intimate behavior as a comeback for Aiko's taunting. The rest of the room seemed to assume it was simply Ryota's victory. Behind him, Ren heard several women sigh with various degrees of envy, and he was sure that all were red-faced at his open show of affection. Back in control of himself, Ren pressed past his emotional confusion, and at once was Ienari Ryota.
With a kind but commanding demeanor, Ryota turned to the rest of the dancers.
"20:35, everyone! It is almost time for the performance, so make sure you have your props and costumes on properly. Men, don't forget your hats, and everyone, please ensure you have your own masks."
"And everyone," Aiko, mildly recovered, chimed in with an enthusiastic voice. "Thank you so much for dancing with us! We're going to be great tonight!"
-x-
Inwardly, Kyoko was much less enthusiastic.
Firstly, for the past week, she had to endure hours of dancing lessons from Maria, which normally would have been fun and quite fascinating. However, she had to practice with a male partner. She had to hold hands with and touch a man. Many times a day, she prayed that the goddess of female virtue and purity would forgive her for rashly accepting a job without understanding the implications on her maidenly soul.
Also, for the majority of the practices, her dance partner had been Kijima, who seemed to step on her feet at least twice every set. His incessant requests for her cell phone number and jokes about dating seemed to render him distractedly incapable of not stomping her feet into a bruised pulp.
Even worse, on the days when he was free, Ren would be her partner, and though he did not step on her feet, Kyoko grew more and more anxious by the day as her senpai grew more and more avoidant and distant.
Phone calls had gone straight to voicemail. Voicemail apologies had gone unanswered. After all of the solo missions he had been taking, it was almost like concrete confirmation that she had done something wrong.
Secondly, she had joined this mission mostly because it was a chance to help out Moko-san, who was rarely around HQ anymore due to her long-term assignment with the Prime Minister. However, Kyoko had hardly been able to see her friend amidst the preparations and formal briefing, which had been via webcast since Kanae couldn't afford to abandon her post for too long.
Thirdly, "Koiso Aiko" – really? The President had outdone himself this time; the kanji for "love" was in her name twice! At least, thought Kyoko grimly, her dress was not the same obnoxiously loud LoveMe pink as her LME uniform. That was probably the Muse's grace and good fashion sense.
Desperately trying to hold onto the vestiges of Aiko, Kyoko tried to shut her inner complaints away in a far corner of her mind – which had been difficult enough before Ren tried to blow a circuit in her brain and their cover with his hand-kiss of death. He was taking his character too far!
Ryota was Westernized, yes, but Aiko was not! As a gentleman, he should have taken that into account! Was Ren trying to get her to drop her character? Aiko, a borderline tsundere with an over-compensated inferiority complex, was difficult enough to portray as it was!
Now, mind-spinning in circles, Kyoko's body worked like an Aiko-automaton, bustling among the women of the dance group, fixing hair, adjusting masks, and boldly reassuring the more timid of their group.
Inside, she fumed.
After a week of treating her coldly, that… t-thing was the first thing Tsuruga-san did? Wait… Was it a test?
…Oh!
Kyoko congratulated herself on her epiphany. It must have been a test, to see if she could hold onto her character, despite his…actions... There was no other reason why Tsuruga-san would have edged along the border of Ryota's characterization in front of a group, most of whom were ordinary civilians, had he not had full, deliberate control over his actions.
'Oh no! Aiko would have hit him or reacted violently embarrassed… No wonder Tsuruga-san looked so pitying after… Was that an NG? I have to step up my game! Aiko… I am Aiko… And Aiko would be nervous.'
As everyone lined up with their dancing partners, Aiko reluctantly trudged toward her place at the head of the women's line next to Ryota. The doors would open, and the dancers would file down the walkway, two-by-two, until they swept into the Grand Hall for the exhibition waltz.
As usual, Ryota was already at his place, having finished his preparations early, and he turned to Aiko. He raised a brow at her shaking hands as she fidgeted with the swoops of glittering jewelry around her neck.
"Nervous?"
"No!" the nervous young woman snapped. Her hands dropped to her sides, but she started to pick at the gold trim around her mask in her hands. She turned to the side and muttered, "Stupid sexual harasser… First you trick me into joining your stupid dancing classes and then use me to advertise, and now this!"
Ryota laughed lightly. Then his eyes lit up, full of mischief.
"Hmmm?" His voice pitched a tad higher, dripping with fake innocence as he tipped his head to the side. He placed his hat and mask firmly onto his head. "Well, if you want to give up and go home, I understand. After all, you don't want to faint again like back in high school, do you? I completely understand."
Aiko froze, mid-grumble. Her eyes narrowed. Slowly, she turned to face her rival.
"What… did you say…?"
Ryota smiled brightly behind his mask and started to say, "I said, you don't want to faint –"
Fury ignited, Aiko shut him up by yanking down on his tie hard. Now face to face with her rival, the one man who could drive her absolutely insane, Aiko relished the shock on his face as she ground out between clenched teeth, "No. Never again. I'm going to dance so well tonight that you'll have to admit that I've caught up to you – that we are equals!"
Then realization swept over Aiko's face in a swift blushing wave. Ryota's face – Was he always this handsome? – was mere inches from her own. Hastily letting go of his tie, Aiko turned forward and fastened her mask to her face with its pearl chain.
"Let's do this…" she muttered fiercely, eyes nearly boring a hole into the door in front of them.
"Shall we?"
To Aiko's annoyance and growing suspicion that she had been manipulated, Ryota smiled brightly and offered his arm, eyes trained deliberately on the double doors to be opened in front of them.
'He's definitely too used to being close to women… Definitely a suspicious playboy,' Kyoko noted to herself behind Aiko's mask. Then the doors opened, and they strode arm in arm down the brightly lit hall.
-x-
He was mad at her again.
"Onee-sama!" Maria was also exasperated. She balled her small hands on her hips and shook her head, golden-brown curls bouncing. "I told you to watch the turn! Even though the beginning is slow, this waltz speeds up to 180 beats per minute. It's not going to wait for you! You need to–"
"Follow Tsuruga-san's lead," mumbled Kyoko miserably. "I know, Maria-chan…"
Maria sighed and dropped the issue, apparently not wanting to discourage her precious onee-sama any further. The LME unit's youngest cultural consultant clapped her hands briskly and flounced back to the front of the room, hand poised over the CD player. "Ready, Ren-sama? Onee-sama?"
Kyoko stepped forward, hands still itching to tear themselves away from the touch of a man. One deep breath in, and then she was Aiko. The only way she could get through all the stifling physical contact was through the outgoing and competitive Aiko.
But she could tell that Ren was not Ryota. He was scarcely touching her. Not that Kyoko minded the lack of physical contact, but it was upsetting that Ren obviously wasn't taking her acting very seriously.
Also, he was refusing to look her in the eye. As the dance partners resumed their practice, Ren's eyes were firmly fixated a foot above her head. Certainly he wasn't Demon Lord-level angry, but ignoring her was just…
He was definitely mad at her. And it wasn't helping her concentration.
"Onee-sama! Watch the turn!"
"Koiso-san…"
Aiko blinked. Somehow she found herself in the middle of a large room, brightly lit, with high ceilings and a rectangular lacquered oak dance floor overlaying the room's red carpet. One wall of the room was made of glass and overlooked a bamboo courtyard below, making the room appear even larger. Spectators garbed in long sequined dresses and sharply pressed tuxedoes sat and stood around the periphery of the room, craning their necks to catch sight of the unusual spectacle on the dance floor.
At least a hundred people were watching. All of them important, influential, wealthy, maybe even royalty.
Aiko began to panic, the world seeming to shrink in on itself. Her chest tightened.
A strong hand firmly squeezed her own. Aiko looked down. Ryota's hand.
"Koiso-san… I'm here with you," his deep voice murmured from above her. "We will be alright. Just follow my lead… And–"
"Watch the turn," Aiko finished for him and looked up. Past his mask, his smile as he gazed down at her was bright but gentle; longing but confident; excited but calm. Aiko felt her heart beat faster, and a funny feeling writhed in the pit of her stomach. Was it nerves? No… With Ryota here, she felt… at ease.
But this was no time for introspection. Taking a deep breath, Aiko assumed her starting position, curving her arm above her head – a maiden, elegantly frozen in time.
Across the dance floor, eight other young women followed her motions. The room stilled in anticipation.
At this cue, the orchestra, visible on a raised stage on the far side of the room, began the tremulous, lilting strains of Johann Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz."
In a ring around the periphery of the wooden dance floor, eight other couples curtsied and bowed to each other on musical cue. But in the center of it all, Aiko could only see Ryota. Behind his mask, his dark eyes sparkled in the bright lights, drawing her into their deep tranquility.
As the music picked up pace and as the couples joined together, whirling in a tightly controlled, yet elegant frenzy around the dance floor, Aiko minded the turn and they were off.
-x-
Two minutes into the performance, Ren was sincerely enjoying himself. Despite the fact that the dancing was merely an elaborate ruse to smuggle LME agents into the Prime Minister's birthday party without drawing unnecessary questions; and despite the fact that he was supposed to be avoiding Kyoko and not nourishing this foreign feeling of affection and love – Ren felt his heart leap with every turn and whirl as he watched her.
He knew that Kyoko, though initially enraptured by the idea of wearing a princess dress and dancing at a "ball", had her excitement noticeably dampened by awkward practice sessions with Kijima and himself. But now, the smile lighting up her face was more than just that of Koiso Aiko putting on a show in order to one-up her high school rival. Aiko – and vicariously, Kyoko – was thoroughly delighted, lost in the fluid steps and fluttering turns as the two swept across the floor.
Ren himself was lost, drunk on the sight of her. He felt lightheaded, his heart pounding harder than usual in his chest. Was it the vigorous dance or was it his feelings? Was the chicken right? Was this love?
'Love… Just like Rick and Tina…'
Ren blinked. No. He couldn't – wouldn't – think about that at a time like this. He had a job to do, and thoughts about love, thoughts about Kyoko – they had no bearing on this job.
Still keeping in time with the music, Ren took two quick steps, twirled Aiko, and then as Ryota, whisked her away, a gentlemanly smile plastered to his face.
-x-
Was that…? No… Impossible… But even behind the mask, that wistful smile, no doubt imagining herself to be Princess Cinderella-sama – or some other such nonsense… It could only be Kyoko… Right?
Unaware of the nervous sideways glances he was getting from several passersby, Fuwa Sho continued to watch the waltz showcase with an intense, concentrated glare. He drummed his fingers on the table pensively as his scowl deepened.
One other piece of evidence – her partner! That pin-head spy could change his hair and clothes all he wanted, but he couldn't change his stupid height. –And he was only tall because he wore platform shoes or something. Cheater.
At the climax of the waltz, the man lifted Kyoko up and twirled her around. The rest of the audience gasped in delight as Kyoko's skirt blossomed out before twirling in on itself as she alighted to her feet and back into the dance, all without missing a beat.
Sho caught his upper lip curling in a sneer of utter disgust.
And that idiot man's face! Why would that pretty-boy be making that kind of expression at Kyoko? Was he trying to lure her into his pretty-boy harem? Make her become his fan or something? That plain, boring girl's head might just explode from so much attention. She'd just get swept up in useless one-sided lovey-dovey feelings, and…
Sho felt a surge of rage stir inside his heart. Some other emotions too – frustration? Bitterness? Envy? – No! Sho denied that he was jealous of him – especially over someone like Kyoko.
The hotel heir made up his mind. As the orchestra wound down its final strains of the waltz, Sho abruptly got out of his chair and walked to the back of the room, a wicked smile creeping across his lips.
So they were spies, huh? Well, he could do some spying of his own!
Souri Kotei – What used to be the White House of Japan – it both housed the Prime Minister and served as the hub of political meetings for the PM and his cabinet. However, there are actually rumors that the Kotei is haunted. There have been PM assassinations there and a handful of shootings. The current Japanese PM actually refused to live in the traditional residence (some reports say that his wife believes in the hauntings).
Souri Daijin Kantei – The current place of business for the PM and his cabinet. They have a website and I've pretty much described the place as accurately as I could based on the information and pictures given.
Athena7787 – THANK YOU! I spent so many hours re-working that scene because at one point or another Natsu or one of the girls seemed OOC. Glad you liked it!
SilverInu93 –You're right in your assumption: Ren was indeed the one who kidnapped Kyoko (in an attempt to protect who he assumed was Nanokura Mimori from the other intruders). And nice! I'll check out the song! Thank you
DreamIdol - Haha, somehow I think that even if Ren was press-ganged into joining the LoveMe group, he would pull it off with great dignity and poise. Eventually everyone else around the LME unit would be donning pink jumpsuits and it would become a fad. Lol Thanks again for the review!
MWEH – Thanks for your honesty! I'm trying to set up the next arc where Ren is going to start growing feelings for Kyoko. You'll be sure to get more moe and action in the next few chapters! Thanks for coming back week to week!
JeremyVD – Yeah! I totally agree that he will grow up (and he has been in the manga), but indeed he will be too late to snag Kyoko's heart. Hehe, hopefully because Ren will already be there! Nakamura-sensei! Hurry and write more chapters~!
Hope you guys enjoyed! Thank you again for all of your reviews! See you next week.