FACE-OFF.
"Stop!" Sho yelled at Reino as he sprang after him, but the vocalist of the Vie Ghouls didn't oblige. He continued to walk even faster, until Sho jammed one of his foot against a tree trunk with a thud, pinning the tail of his coat in between.
Reino tried tugging his coat back, but it stayed firmly trapped where it was. He pulled it harder, but to no avail. "You're strong. I mean, despite how you look."
Sho didn't deign it necessary to comment. Instead, through clenched teeth, he bit out, "what do you want with Kyoko? I'm the one you were copying. Why are you going after her then?"
"I changed my objective," Reino answered, his tone so nonchalant as if they were discussing the weather.
"What do you mean?" Sho demanded. "What do you get out of her?"
"It's simple, hate. I want her to hate me like she hates you."
What the heck? Letting his foot drop, Sho narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowed in puzzlement. He put his pinky in his ear and rubbed it, thinking he must have heard wrong, before he inquired, "what on earth are you aiming for here?"
"My aim is to be in control of her heart," turning to Sho, Reino answered, "right now she hates you so much that you can basically control her emotions. That's the power I'd like to possess. When she was earlier mad at you for letting us steal your song, if only you had seen what I could see. Her aura, so blatantly horrifying yet radiating, dark and beautiful as the starless, night sky. I was captivated; entirely bewitched. From now on, I'll do everything I can, to make her hate me much more than she hates you. I want her to think of me at every waking moment and I want to haunt her dreams while she sleeps. No matter what you do, you cannot stop me from ruining her. If you dare raise a hand against me, I'll just take you down with her." He flashed his wide, creepy green one last time before he turned to walk away again.
This guy is seriously twisted! Did he escape from the nuthouse or something? Sho was so shocked that he remained still for a moment before pursuing his quarry again. He streched out his arm and got a hold of Reino's neck, tugging him to a stop.
Once they were still, Sho grabbed both sides of Reino's collar and shook him hard. His eyes glinted a dangerous, deathly warning when he spoke. "Cut that out! Quit talking about her life she is some object!"
Reino's smirk didn't waver. "Are you gonna say something sappy now, like how you let me get away with stealing your songs, but you won't allow me to take your girl?" He chuckled amusingly.
"Yeah, that's right" Sho snapped. "I knew you could never perform my song better than me, that's why I let you get away with publishing it without suing you. But now I'll show you what happens when you try to take away what's mine!" Sho squeezed Reino's collar, pulling him close as he bashed his knee on his gut with all the impact he could muster. Reino, having his breath knocked out of him, grimaced painfully.
After only a single blow to the stomach, Reino hit the ground and curled up in the foetal position, with his mouth gaping open.
"Unlike my songs," Sho mumbled as he grabbed Reino by the mane of his silver hair, holding his head up, "just because you put your dirty hands on her, there's no way I'll give her up to you! Not her!"
Despite his features twisting in pain, Reino managed a chuckle. "You should have listened to that man. Now that you've hit me, I'm gonna ruin your career. This act of violence from you will be the trigger that will expose this incident. It will lead to Kyoko's downfall. And now yours as well. Man, you really are stupid." He laughed aloud.
Sho didn't seem worried at all. "That's right. Once I let you go, there is nothing stopping you from making this incident public." A smug smile slowly crept up to his lips. "However, it's only possible as long as you have enough strength left to walk out of here." He menacingly cracked his knuckles, as a clear sign of what was about to come.
For the first time, something close to fear flashed in Reino eyes, which he tried his best to hide, and he gulped.
Approximately twenty minutes after Sho ran off to chase Reino, he returned to Kyoko and the Director, and the three made it back to the set. While Kyoko's injuries were being treated, which fortunately didn't turn out to be anything serious (just some minor scratches), the Director gave the inquisitive crew an explanation for their sudden disappearance. However, the story he told them went something like, Kyoko was chased through the jungle by some crazy stalker where she tripped and ended up losing consciousness. Luckily, Sho Fuwa, her childhood friend, went there to look for her and brought her back.
As per Kyoko's request, the truth, that her stalker was the vocalist of the Vie Ghouls and that she was molested by him only to be later saved by Sho, who luckily appeared on time, was kept hidden from everyone, with the exception of only a few members of the staff, who were out looking for Kyoko and those who happened to get a glimpse of her in her undignified state when she returned.
Afterwards, Ogata called off the shoot for the day, and almost all of the crew took this opportunity to go out and enjoy this excursion by spending the lovely evening in exploring the beautiful town, Karuizawa.
Kyoko didn't join them, since after everything that happened, she wasn't up to feeling festive, so she decided to go back to the hotel early. She was tired as hell and wanted nothing more than to just crawl up in her cozy bed and drift off to sleep (preferably dreamless), but she wasn't looking forward to going back either, since she would be alone there, surrounded only by strangers. Ogata had asked the driver to safely escort her back to her suite but even if she made it there, she wasn't sure she could relax with no one to watch her back for her.
Sho had assured Kyoko that he had taken care of Reino and that she wouldn't be bothered by him again, but after listening to the twisted sense of that sicko, how could she sleep soundly while her stalker was staying in the same hotel and could very well be lurking out in the hallway. Even though Sho had helped her, she refused to rely on his words alone. Just the thought that she might run into Reino again chilled her to the bone.
It was then the Director approached herx only to find her hugging her arms tightly, trying to resist a chill. "Kyoko, how are you holding up?" He inquired solicitously.
"Fine," she plastered a fake smile which faltered as soon as she put it on. "I- I'm just a little scared... I know he will come back."
"Didn't Fuwa say that he had talked things over with that guy and you should just relax?" The Director wondered aloud.
"Didn't you listen to him?" Kyoko's features twisted in a scowl. "That guy was mentally disturbed! How could anyone talk things over with that... that... Beagle!" She searched for the right word to describe Reino, but failed. "Besides, I know better than to just take Sho's word for it."
Ogata narrowed his eyes curiously, wondering what sort of relationship Kyoko had with Sho Fuwa, but he didn't bother to ask her about it since it was none of his business. He remained quiet for a moment, pondering over what to say that would be helpful, when his lips spread into a smile as he remembered something. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he muttered something into her ear, which lit up her face like a christmas tree.
The Director couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction, "so you see," he said aloud. "There's nothing to worry about anymore. By the time you reach the hotel, he'll be there."
With her heart fluttering in her chest, Kyoko failed to fight off the soft smile on her lips as she knocked on the door to his suite. It opened almost instantly with him on the other side.
Ren smiled. With his dark, wavy hair slightly disheveled and his clothes travel-stained, his face looked tired, but there seemed to be a pinch of relief in his deep, dark eyes when they landed on her face, and her heart swelled. All her worries, her troubles disappeared from her mind like they never even existed before and for the first time since she had her run-in with her stalker, Kyoko felt safe.
She, along with Yashiro, went inside the room and settled around the small table, while Ren offered the two drinks.
"Kyoko." Sitting up straighter, she turned to Ren when he said her name. "Today had been difficult for you. I heard about what happened."
Before Kyoko could respond, Yashiro chipped in nonchalantly, "you know, after he talked to you over the phone last night, Ren had been worried sick as to what might have happened here." Keeping his face poker, the manager took a deep swig of his beer, trying not to burst out laughing at the surprised reaction on his client's face.
Since Ren had talked to Kyoko last night, he couldn't shake this feeling of impending doom like something terrible was about to happen. Therefore, he rushed through his shoot, refusing to take even a single break just so he could get to Karuizawa as soon as possible.
However, Ren did not share his worries about that phone call with his manager. What perturbed him was how Yashiro figured every thing out to the last detail without being told. Turned out the manager knew him a lot better than he imagined.
Kyoko failed to note the surprise on Ren's face since she was too busy looking down, trying to hide her own shocked expression from her him. He saw right through me! She thought. I tried so hard to sound natural and I was sure I had nailed it, but he still figured it out! Maybe she wasn't that good at acting as she had assumed, or maybe Ren just knew her a lot better than she thought he did.
After regrouping his jumbled thoughts, Ren cleared his throat to get her attention. "So, you lied to me again. Even though you promised you won't," he stated, though he didn't sound particularly angry when he said it. "When you were talking to me last night, you had already met this stalker, but you still told me everything was okay."
"I'm so sorry!" Kyoko exclaimed hysterically. Ren didn't cut her any slack even after everything that had happened. "I didn't mean to lie. I just-"
"I know," he said softly. His tone was hushed instead of angry. Like the calm before an upcoming storm. "I know you didn't want me to worry and focus on my job but," his clenched fist relaxed and his expression softened, "never do that again, okay? Never put yourself in danger like that! You should have told me!"
"I won't," her head drooped. "I'm so sorry."
"I won't be mad, but in return, you don't hide anything from me again, okay?"
At that, Kyoko and Yashiro sat up straighter exchanging a secretive glance. The manager, only because, despite knowing that Sho Fuwa was the one who brought Kyoko back, he didn't inform Ren about it.
Kyoko, because, she knew that the Director had told Ren only the half story like everyone else. Kyoko had initially planned to not breach the subject at all, and on her request the Director agreed to keep the little detail about Sho's involvement a secret from Ren.
However, now that Ren had phrased it so directly, she had no choice but to tell him. Only the memory of his cold glare from the last time when Sho's name came up was enough to make her blood run cold. Since Sho reminded Ren of her revenge, there was no saying how angry he might get.
Ren blinked and cocked his head back and forth from his manager to Kyoko. Waves of anger swirled up inside him, his expression turning dark. "What are you hiding?" He demanded, his voice back to hushed. The question was directed to Kyoko.
She opened her mouth to answer but closed it again. Having no idea where to begin, she brooded over it, when a little voice from the back of her mind told her what to do.
Just tell him the truth. He's gonna find out eventually. Everyone else already knows about Sho. Rather than giving him half-hearted explanation now and letting him hear the whole truth from someone else, it's better to explain things in your own words.
In the end, Kyoko decided to heed the voice of wisdom in her head and give him the whole truth. As she opened her mouth to start spilling, an abrupt knock on the door diverted their attention from the subject at hand.
Ren rose to his fall height and made his way towards the entrance. He clicked open the door and found a familiar blond teenager standing on the other side. His lips were curved up in a complacent smirk. His expression was giddy and his tone smug when he spoke. "Kyoko is here, isn't she? Would you get her?"
Ren failed to hide the blow he felt when the person outside his door turned out to be Sho Fuwa. His eyes widened and his lips parted in awe, as if they were unable to move.
"Hey, Ren," Itsumi, who had been standing beside Sho the whole time, greeted him with a cheery smile.
"Itsumi," Ren finally regained his senses, snapping out of his temporary shock. He felt a little tug on the back of his shirt, and found Kyoko behind him when he moved aside. She stepped outside to meet Itsumi.
"Kyoko, thank goodness you're alright!" The leading actress embraced her co-star in a long, bone-crushing hug. When she straightened back, her hands remained on Kyoko's shoulders protectively as she explained her presence, "when I got back I didn't find you in our suite, so I thought you might be with Fuwa. After checking on him, I realized you weren't with him either. Then I got worried that your stalker might have turned up again. It was then the Director told me that Ren was back early and you were with him. So I just came here to make sure that you really were here, just in case, you know." She cocked her head at Sho. "And Fuwa tagged along too."
"I'm so sorry for making you worry like that!" Kyoko exclaimed, not even giving a single glance to Sho. "I should've left a note or something. It's all my fault."
"It's alright," Itsumi patted her back.
"No," Kyoko's eyes drooped with guilt. "Even the shoot got delayed because of me. I'm so sorry."
"Wait a second," Yashiro, who had been standing behind Ren listening to their conversation, stepped forward and intervened, "in that case, it's my fault. Because when Kyoko got back from the set, I immediately brought her here instead of taking her back to her room. Given the circumstances, I should have been more careful."
"The fault is not either of yours," Sho spoke at last, and all the heads turned in his direction. "It's neither Kyoko's fault, nor yours," he told the manager. His eyes once again met Ren's, turning sharper than a blade at the sight. "After every thing that had happened today, to call Kyoko so casually to his room without even giving her a chance to rest! The one who lies at fault here is," Sho streched out his index-finger and pointed it straight at Ren.
Kyoko gasped. It took all the will power she had to not strangle Sho at that moment. Without moving, she still tried to eviscerate him on the spot with the sheer force of her eyes.
"Of course," Ren mumbled. Kyoko was standing with her back at him, so she couldn't see his face, but she could feel the deadly cold smile he had through his voice. Her features twisted in horror.
"You're right," Ren went on. "Although my manager was here, I was thoughtless enough to create a scene that could have gotten the whole mass media involved."
A chill went down Kyoko's back making the goosebumps rise and stand erect on her flesh. She shot a worried look to Yashiro and found him mirroring her reaction.
"I should have shown more consideration to Itsumi as well," Ren's eyes settled on his blonde costar. "I'm sorry."
Both Kyoko and the manager very slowly swelled their heads to look at Ren, and there it was. That extraordinary, fake, perfect, signature smile of his, spread across his handsome face. The sight had the power to melt any girl's heart.
"N-no. It's a-alright." Itsumi blushed up to the roots of her hair.
However, Kyoko and Yashiro, knowing the real intent behind that venomous and sinister smile, had the opposite reaction. They tried to shrink back and disappear on their very spots.
"As long as Kyoko is okay, that's enough," Itsumi fluttered her blonde lashed with a demure look.
"Really? Thanks." Ren replied.
Sho, after witnessing the whole exchange between Itsumi and Ren, tried not to let the irritation on his face be visible, but failed miserably. He was positive he could use this opportunity to finally provoke Ren and pick a fight with him, but Ren's friendly attitude and that perfect smile of his totally backfired Sho's plan, just like last time.
"Kyoko," Ren directed his radiant smile at her.
Her heart almost jumped out of her chest. "Y-yeah?" She piped, averting her guilty eyes.
"I thought only the crew was aware of what happened today," Ren's tone remained friendly, like sweet poison. "Would you care to explain to me what Sho Fuwa is doing here and how come he knows about it too?"
"Th-that... I... That..." Kyoko struggled to speak, but with so many people surrounding them, words failed her.
Watching Kyoko stutter like that, Sho intervened, "why are you asking about that now?" His question was directed at Ren. "Didn't anyone tell you?"
Ren remained silent. His smile slowly ebbing away.
"Could it be," one of Sho's eyebrows quirked up as his smug look returned. "That even though everyone on set already knows, no one bothered to tell you the whole story?"
Ren's silence was answer enough for Sho, so he went on.
"Such a shame, to keep the leading man in the dark about the specifics of the matter," his lips twitched up in an amusing smirk. "Like, who do you think protected Kyoko from that stalker?"
Ren's eyes widened before they narrowed into little slits.
"What do you mean protected?" Yashiro wondered aloud, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Wasn't Kyoko found unconscious in the jungle?"
"Oh yeah," a corner of Sho's mouth tugged up an inch into an infinitesimal smirk. "That's just the made-up story they told everyone on the set. I see Kyoko doesn't consider you important enough to tell you what really happened."
Ren's eyes pierced Kyoko with a chilly intensity as he glared at her with silent accusation.
"That's not it! I can explain...!" Kyoko exclaimed, desperation carved into her face and edged into her voice. "I was going to tell you..." However, the look on Ren's face shut her up mid-sentence.
The customary warmth in his deep, dark eyes was gone and it was replaced by a cold fire that burned hard with a raging anger. And the worst part was, his lethal stare was directed straight at Kyoko without any mistake. His features were rigid and sharp filled with resentment, and it stung her, a lot more than intended, but Kyoko refused to flinch away. She held his piercing gaze with hope shining in her pleading hazel eyes.
At last, Ren broke their mutual gaze which had been locked together, holding each other captive, as he turned back into his suite and slammed shut the door.