Act 93 – Secrets Revealed

Kyoko looked at Kanae with a bowed head as they sat inside of a karaoke box, after all it was a true saying that in Japan the most secretive of talks could be held within a karaoke box. Kyoko had told Kanae all about the secrets behind her moving to Tokyo and Kanae was looking at her stunned. Kyoko feared that this would be a point in which Kanae would say that she didn't want to be friends with Kyoko because of her selfish desires to act.

"I," Kanae said showing her disbelief in what Kyoko had just confided in her, "always thought that you were Fuwa Sho's fan or worshipper."

Kyoko looked up with a combination of shock and horror on her face. She hadn't wanted to hear that. She didn't want to be put amongst the number of people who actually were fans of that idiot and she couldn't believe that's what people thought of her. She wanted to hurt him, not be with him. She wasn't that moronic to fall for such a horrible and sleazy guy. What was Moko thinking?

"You are mean!" Kyoko screamed as her face looked as if she had just spotted a ghost. "What a great misunderstanding, it's embarrassing."

Kanae reached a hand out for Kyoko which gestured for Kyoko to calm down from this great shock, "Calm down," she advised, "It's already cleared."

Kyoko sobbed onto the chair feeling fortunate that she had cleared up such a grave error in judgement. Her? Supporting his career? No. She wanted him to taste defeat and be knocked down by society, she wanted him to suffer in a similar manner to how he had made her suffer.

"Anyway," Kanae said in a neutral manner, "I'm really surprised to think that you and Fuwa Sho have something like that between you guys." Kyoko sobbed not wanting to acknowledge that as well. It definitely made her seem like the Sho supporter that she actually wasn't. "What about selling this to the media?" Kanae asked and Kyoko looked ahead of her, her eyes tired but she took a steady breath.

"Something like that," Kyoko replied, "Couldn't enlighten my feelings. A scandal would only be effective at drawing people's interest at the beginning. It wouldn't last two years in this kind of entertainment world. I can't forgive that."

Kyoko turned to face Kanae, her expression turning a little darker. No. Two years wouldn't be enough time, there had to be something that she could do to scar Shotaro and so she would be patient and wait for his defeat. She had already devoted so many years into trying to make him happy. She had spent so much money on things that he liked. She had filled her brain with so much information about him. No, there had to be some deeper way of hurting him and that was her desire behind joining LME or it had been. There was a lot that she enjoyed about the agency and now she knew she could use acting to nourish her soul.

"Well," Kanae said as she let her head rest on her hand, "You're right. Money can be brought back but not with the time. Two years is too short," she agreed and Kyoko nodded. However, as the words that Kanae had said sunk in, Kyoko looked surprised. She had believed that Kanae would criticize her and scold her and disown her but Kanae appeared to be supportive and on her side. "Anyway, I think you must participate in that drama and secure your position in the industry."

Kyoko turned to her with a slow blink wanting to understand Kanae's reasons for having said that. This hadn't been the reaction which Kyoko had been expecting. Maybe it was a reaction that made her happier than if Kanae had not wanted to be her friend but it wasn't what she had thought would have happened.

"Moko-san? You're not angry with me?" Kyoko asked a bit surprised, "I entered the entertainment world to get revenge on him."

Kanae sighed as she watched Kyoko, "You…when you were acting, was there any thought of Fuwa Sho in the your head?" she asked and Kyoko blinked hard as she listened to that. She hadn't felt anger in that situation, instead there was joy when she had finally learned to live within the role that she had been given. Whether it was the angel who loved her friend and didn't want to see her get hurt or even just reading those lines for the drama with Ren, she had loved trying to nourish herself and take in these new opportunities. It gave her a feeling as if she was alive which she hadn't felt before.

Kyoko shook her head with a smile as she reflected on the happiness that she had when she acted, it wasn't what she had expected when she had joined the agency but she was thrilled to have experienced it.

"I thought so," Kanae commented, "Seeing your expression, I knew it when I saw you in the training place. You weren't practicing acting in order to get revenge." Kyoko paused. She had felt excited to be learning new things and to be polishing herself as an actor when training. She put all her energy into it because she enjoyed it. She most likely enjoyed it more than her thoughts of revenge.

"If after this, you appear in more dramas and become more and more famous, you can finally put Fuwa Sho in shame," Kanae continued as Kyoko felt her words wrap around her heart like a blanket both warming and protecting her. "That's the result. Because, despite of revenge, that's what you get if you have the skill." Kanae sighed heavily and a happy smile appeared over her face, her eyes conveyed to Kyoko that she was deep in thought. "When I partnered you in the play, you were purely enjoying the play."

Kyoko nodded happily, her cheeks turning a little red as she watched her best friend. Kanae really did seem to know her and those were the signs of a very good friend. Kyoko hadn't really had such a connection with anyone, maybe with Corn but not really anyone else. It made her overjoyed.

"Moko-san, thank you" she cried and Kanae thrust a box of tissues in her direction.

"I know already, mo," Moko said with a sigh, "So quickly dry your face. You're an entertainer aren't you?" she asked and Kyoko grabbed a tissue, wiping away her tears.

"And what about Tsuruga-san," Kyoko said. She had only told her the bare minimum of them actually being friends in secret but she hadn't told Moko about when they had met in childhood or the fact that she knew Ren's real identity. She had said how Ren had seen her in an unfortunate situation and had used his kindness to give her a place to stay before she got back on her feet and how it had seemed important to him that they not discuss their friendship to others. "I don't want him to think that I only am taking the drama role for revenge and I don't want to hurt his reputation if people found out about us."

Kanae turned to the side, "I understand why he doesn't want you connected with him. He doesn't want people looking at you in a negative manner or only referring to you as Ren Tsuruga's friend when you have acting dreams and ambitions of your own. Still, he probably only reacted angrily because you lied to him. I would feel pissed if you originally lied to me but it sounds like the two of you were able to work things out so just tell him the truth about the drama."

Kyoko looked down with a sigh, "I still don't want him to get angry or have the wrong idea. When he learned that I only joined the entertainment world to get revenge on that guy he was really angry and disappointed in me because acting is one of the most important things to him. I hope that by taking the role in the drama he won't be annoyed. I mean, I don't understand his feelings sometimes," Kyoko thought aloud.

Kanae snorted at this before humming, she could read Ren Tsuruga's actions easily but it didn't seem that Kyoko was quite aware of what was happening. "Somehow before it was related to revenge but suddenly he's upset at you again?" she asked before shaking her head, "So, he didn't like it when you went to meet a guy you've loved from the bottom of your heart in the past, right?"

Kyoko paused. That language sounded disgusting to her and it wasn't as if she actually had loved Shotaro from the bottom of her heart. Okay, maybe she had but she definitely didn't want to be reminded of those circumstances.

"Somehow," Kanae said, "Isn't it like jealousy?"

Kyoko paused. She had tried to push her feelings for Ren away, after all he had told her numerous times that he couldn't have anyone precious and that she was told that she shouldn't fall in love with him. If he was jealous did that mean that he carried emotions for her? No. That wasn't it, she was feeling too good about this, too spoiled. He didn't love her. He had made that clear that he wasn't in love with her.

"Maybe, Tsuruga-san is in love with you," Kanae thought aloud and Kyoko paused, her eyes widening. No. She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't let herself believe it. She wasn't that lucky. She stopped with her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. What was Kanae saying? No. Maybe to an outsider it looked like that but that simply couldn't be the case.

"No. I know Tsuruga-san and I know that that isn't the case," Kyoko argued. "He's already made it clear to me that he doesn't love me. I think that there must be some other reason," she said starting to sound desperate and Kanae hummed again.

"Okay, mo, so if he isn't jealous I can only think of one thing," she mused and Kyoko blinked. "Tsuruga-san is still upset that you lied to him and didn't trust you. He may feel that he would have understood in the beginning were you to accept that role but you didn't even tell him. He figured out that you were doing it for revenge and is afraid to see you go down that path again. He cares about you but he doesn't trust your judgment."

"Perhaps he feels upset about the fact that instead of coming to him honestly, you tried to hoodwink him," Kanae suggested and Kyoko paused. She bowed her head again feeling like a terrible friend where Ren was concerned. Of course he would be upset about that but she had apologized and he had seemed to accept the apology. Would it be okay for her to hold him within her heart or would that still be selfish?

End of Act 93

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JeremyXD, Kaname671