Act 54 – Kyoooko-chan

Ren wouldn't admit to it if he didn't feel it and he definitely could feel the depth of the emotions running through his body. Kyoko wasn't an ordinary girl and in his eyes, she had never really been an ordinary girl. Even though she cried a lot over the problems that she had had with her mother and she lived in a fairyland where stories that didn't make sense could actually happen, she had strength and passion and kindness. She was an amazing girl and he just didn't want to burden her with his presence. He wasn't going to let himself be the wolf that destroyed her happiness.

She had lived in a time when all that had been important to her, of any real importance anyway, had been Shotaro Fuwa. She was strong-willed and spontaneous but whatever she did, she always did her best at it, wanting to achieve the best results for herself and those who would be affected by her actions.

She was an ideal Japanese girl but in no stretch of the imagination was he the ideal American guy.

Ren felt something damp on his forehead and he opened his sleepy eyes to see Kyoko changing the pad on his forehead. He could see her eyes which still had concern for him and he felt guilty to be able to look at her so closely.

"Ah," Kyoko said in alarm as she noticed him watching her, "I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?"

Kyoko very steadily changed the ice in the bag that was resting on his forehead attached to some contraption that she had put together herself. She knew that in Corn's condition, he really needed his rest. He would feel better if he could rest. "I just put in new ice, please just keep on sleeping," Kyoko told him as her heart pounded in her chest.

It was wrong to think that he was adorable needing to be cared for and he would never have wanted to hear her thoughts about that. He was a strong guy who was able to take care of himself and yet she really did like the way that she could do things for him. He actually thanked her as well, unlike Shotaro who had taken advantage of her.

Ren sighed as he could feel the cold on his burning hot forehead, he smiled as he felt at peace. She had given him comfort and relief, he wanted to make her know how grateful he was for that.

"Okay," Kyoko said as she pulled back and studied her work once again, "Like this you should be able to hold on until next morning," she said and Ren watched her, his eyes longing for her to stay but she didn't seem to realize that's what he was saying.

"Thank you," he mumbled and Kyoko looked at him, he had spoken and she had missed it once again.

"Thank you," Ren smiled as he looked at her and Kyoko could see that blinding light. He was godlike. He was the most amazing person she had ever seen and she felt guilty about looking at him when he was like this, her heart was going wild but she knew that she didn't deserve to be with him. He had told her that she should protect her heart even from him and she wanted to prove to him that she could listen and that she valued their friendship.

"Thank you, Kyoko-chan," Ren finished and Kyoko nodded before staggering out the room, holding the items that she had brought in and closing the door very quietly and very slowly. She had seen him looking up at her and with that gorgeous smile and he had been sparkling and he said her name in a dreamy manner. She was risking falling into that trap again but how could she not. Of course he could make any girl fall in love with him, that was just his natural charm.

…..

…..

She hadn't been able to concentrate all night. Ever since she had helped him and heard the way in which he had said her name, Kyoko felt completely lost and vulnerable even against the exam. She couldn't study because she just kept remembering how hard her heart was beating when he had said her name. It hadn't even really been anything that special, just her name in that affectionate manner.

Kyoko looked at her phone and her eyes widened, it was already eight in the morning and she hadn't slept. She felt exhausted but nothing made her more exhausted than when she realized that even if she did listen to her foolish heart – which had told her not to fall in love again – she wouldn't have a happy ending. A happy ending just wasn't in the cards for her.

Kyoko looked down at her book and realized that she hadn't done a single exercise since she had changed the ice. She should be studying and paying more attention to the work in front of her but she had found this apartment so familiar and comfortable. She had found being around Corn to bring her so much happiness. She wanted to know more about Kuon but she realized he couldn't be forced to tell her and she didn't want to create a wall between them again.

She was just feeling excited that he was getting better. She wasn't falling in love with him because he was delirious and weak and she was a sadist. No morally respectable person would try to take advantage of somebody who was in a state of a cold. He wasn't functioning properly and she couldn't afford to read too much into what had happened. She had to maintain her calm.

He had a high fever and he probably didn't know whether he was dreaming or whether he was awake. He wouldn't call her that lovingly but she did worry about what dreams he might be having. She wasn't willing to give him her whole heart just yet but she was imagining it. He didn't want her heart. He wanted her friendship. He was talking to her as a friend. She just had to keep remembering that and reminding herself that it had nothing to do with love.

She needed to focus on her revenge plot. Even though acting wasn't something that she wanted to use in order to have her revenge, she did still want to see Shotaro suffer in the same way that she had suffered. She couldn't tell Kuon about it but she couldn't give up on sending Shotaro to hell either. That was her destiny.

She didn't need to fall in love with him, all that she wanted was his friendship.

…..

….

Ren managed to wake up as the sun was rising and he felt better, his fever had decreased significantly and he couldn't remember much of the previous night but he was feeling okay right now. He smiled as he basked in the light. He could probably manage work today and then each day would get easier and easier, that was something that was important for his dream. He didn't want his sacrifice to be for nothing.

He looked at the bag of water and blinked. Hadn't this been ice? He sighed and shook his head, he wasn't sure what had been a dream and what had been reality. He looked at his pajamas. He didn't remember putting these on, he actually didn't remember getting back home either. It was strange that he didn't know what was going on and that he was wearing different clothes.

He couldn't think badly of Kyoko, she was a shy young girl and he didn't think that she would have forced him to strip in front of her. She couldn't have changed that much. What he did have to be thankful for was that he felt a lot better than he had before he went to sleep. He walked into the living room area and saw the piles of study materials that Kyoko had brought with her.

She was intelligent, he had always known that about her and admired her for that but did she really have to bring all these books here to pass an entrance examination into high school no matter how elite the high school was. As Ren looked through a book, he could hear the blender in the kitchen and followed the sound of the noise.

Kyoko had her palm on the blender, making sure that the lid was on securely. She frowned as she recited numerous dates about world events. She mumbled to herself as she tried to work against the noise, it was best to keep some kind of distraction there. She was stopped by Ren's coughing as he looked at her, studying her.

"Excuse me," he said and Kyoko jolted as she heard his voice. She wondered if it was because she had been questioning her heart the previous night or just from the lack of sleep. "I get the impression some mysterious substance is turning into something even more mysterious over there," he said and Kyoko looked behind her at the stove where the mixture in the pot was trying to brown.

She screamed as she went to fix it and Ren looked after her, she wasn't acting too insecure right now so they could still maintain their friendship. That was something very important to both of them. At least they could be friends even if they couldn't express love for one another.

…

…..

Kyoko sat at the table with Ren, her hands in her lap and she bowed her head in the manner of a formal apology. "I'm sorry, now that I used your kitchen. I could only produce something this ordinary," she apologized as she gave him the vegetable soup and the ume flavored rice mash. Ren looked to her. He was surprised that she had prepared even this. He didn't really have a lot that she could use to cook with.

"Don't say that," Ren said as he looked at one of her creations with a teasing smile though he was as scared to try the mixture as he had been to eat flowers all those weeks ago. "I think this is quite extraordinary," he commented and Kyoko looked to him nervously.

"This is rich in substance, delicious energy drink," she said and Ren immediately put it to his lips before he started to look groggy. He turned away from her, his body showing his regret and his energy falling again. Kyoko looked at him, scared that he had seemed to turn into a low-energy Corn.

"You're a liar," he said and Kyoko's eyes widened as she looked between the glass and his face, "You tricked me."

Kyoko froze before looking at him as if he had his head and could be suffering from a concussion. "When I said delicious, I wasn't talking about the taste," Kyoko stated before looking at the glass and taking it from his hand. "Is there anybody who would, looking at this color, really think it were delicious!?"

Ren sighed and shook his head, "But…if it tastes so horribly awful, I would have rather you tell me clearly before that it tastes horrible. I felt dizzy for a moment. But you didn't even warn me," he continued before chuckling and raised an eyebrow, "Do you hate me so much?" he tried to tease her and Kyoko stood up, her face turning to one of shock but she looked away and Ren watched her. He had meant that as a joke but she seemed to be seriously considering it.

She stared at him before asking in a low voice, tears sparkling in her eyes, "How could you even ask me that?"

Ren watched her before they heard the thermometer beep with the reading of Ren's temperature but neither of them said anything, both looking at the other to see what they would say, how they would react.

End of Act 54

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Thank you to the reviewers of Act 53

Brennakai, Kaname671, Kris XD, PaulaGaTo