KIDNAPPED BY THE NEMESIS.
Kyoko finally relaxed a bit when the driver had taken them a safe distance away from the school. At least now she didn't have to worry about being seen with Sho.
However, her back turned stiff again as she turned to face her captor. "Whatever it is that you've got to say, spill and be done with it!"
With his jaw resting on his fist, Sho regarded her coolly without turning his head. His eyes slightly narrowed and he looked away again.
"What the hell?" she snapped, even more annoyed by his silence. "What are you trying to prove with that disappointment no-good look, huh?"
He shot her a glare. "That's because it's precisely what I am feeling. Disappointed! You really are a no-good, irredeemable woman."
Rage sparked within Kyoko, but before she could unleash her wrath on Sho, he went on, cutting her off.
"I thought you were going to beat me so bad that I would never be able to stand in the spotlight again. Wasn't this you goal? Weren't you going to become an even greater star than me just so you could make me regret ever leaving you?" The words caught her off guard. "Why on earth did you start all this? Do you even remember or have you forgotten? Judging from the way you're so busy seducing men, you must have."
"Excuse me! Who's seducing men again?"
"So you were not seducing some co-worker of yours named Kijima?" He snorted. "You let him doll you up in a fancy dress and even agreed to be his date. What was that about, huh?"
If Sho had questioned her about anything else, Kyoko would've snapped at him how she wasn't entitled to answer him anything. However, this particular subject reminded her of how similarly angry Ren had gotten, and she couldn't help but feel remorse.
Instead of telling him off, she tried to explain to him as well how it was all just a misunderstanding. "There's nothing going on between us! You would've known that if you had bothered to see the whole interview instead of coming here to kidnap me!"
"So you did not let him buy you clothes?"
"I did, but it was only because I didn't have a dress for the party and-"
Sho's temper reached it's peak, and the next words he spoke came out in a shout. "How dense can you be, woman? You had no idea that he was helping just so he could sleep with you later? The only reason a man buys clothes for a woman is so he tear them off of her and have sex with her!"
"Th-that-" Kyoko was so surprised that she could hardly speak. Party because this was the first time she had seen Sho pissed to such an extent, and partly because of his unusual and precise way of phrasing things. Desperate not to lose the fight, she protested. "That dress wasn't a gift! It was rented, and Mr Kijima is my senior who got it for me!"
"It doesn't matter whether it was a gift or not as long as he paid for it!" Sho thundered. The familiarity of his words hit Kyoko with a sense of deja vu and she shuddered remembering how Ren had said the exact same thing to her, only much much more coldly.
The two remained quiet for a while until Sho finally calmed enough to speak again, and when he did, his tone was surprisingly soft.
"And after I acknowledged you as my rival! Since you're distracted from your goal, I'm gonna keep rising and you'll never reach me. This shallow pride of yours, you'll have nothing to back it up when you lose to me." He shook his head. "Tsk. And all because you're once again turning into that same country girl obsessed with dreams of love."
The words stung her like a tight slap, her face burning. Kyoko tried to come up with something as nasty to say which could even remotely depict how horrible she was feeling. But before she could succeed, a text beeped. Glancing at her phone she was reminded how she was being late for her Bo shoot at the TBM studio.
"You're done, right?" She snapped. "Now drop me off this second! I have a shoot to attend! I'm not free like you!"
"What do you mean free like me? I also have a recording session! Do you think I have millions of fans by being free?"
"I don't care! Just drop me off! If I'm late to TBM, I'll have to skip my dinner before the shoot! And if I don't get to eat, you're dead!"
Instead of asking the driver to stop the car, Sho told him to park it in a restraunt near TBM.
"What are you doing? Let me go! Do you have any idea how long it takes to get a cab?"
"You're not gonna be late. You can have dinner and then I'll drop you at the studio."
"Oh please," Kyoko snorted. "I don't need your charity! Or your sympathy! I'd rather walk all the way than spend a second more with you in this car!"
"Its not charity. I'm not gracious enough to waste my time having you driven to work. I only offered because I'm on my way to the Music Haven, which is in TBM." The realization struck Kyoko. "That's right. We're going to the same place."
Silence weighed on them even after they exited the elevator leaving Kijima behind. It was even more suffocating in the car. Yashiro was tempted to ask Ren what suddenly made him reveal his feelings for Kyoko, but the manager decided against it sensing his bad mood.
Ren didn't speak until they were half way on their destination. "I only did that because I thought that was the most logical thing for me to do."
Yashiro glanced at him. "I was surprised."
"Well, no one got hurt, right? I had to stop him before he became too attached to her. It all worked out well because I know Kijima is not the type to fight over someone. Now that he knows how I feel about her, he'll leave her alone. He's not gonna compete with me for her."
The manager nodded in silence.
"Infact, it's better if he leaves her alone since he's not even serious about her," Ren went on. "I don't think she has healed from her past with Fuwa yet. Which is why, I never want to put her in a position where she'll feel pressurized."
"You're right. I think so too. Besides, even if she's careful about love, Kyoko is still too naive and trusting when it comes to men. I think it's good that you're watching over her."
The subject was closed, and Yashiro was relieved for his client not being in such a bad mood anymore. However, he was also a bit disappointed because for some reason he had expected Ren to finally come out about his feelings for Kyoko. Which obviously was just his wishful thinking.
The manager couldn't discern the reason of Ren being so madly in love, but at the same time never doing anything about it. At first, he had guessed the cause to be Kyoko's past. He assumed that Ren didn't persue her since she had been out of such a toxic relationship pretty recently. But now, more than an year had passed. Why wasn't he doing anything about it?
He was left guessing through out the ride until they finally reached the place where the meeting with the Director was scheduled.
After Kyoko had a super quick and light dinner at the restaurant, she got back in Sho's car. As much as she would hate to admit it, this time she did it willingly. Not because Sho had persuaded her to accept his offer of letting him drive her to work, but because she actually would have gotten late without the ride. And since it was his fault for kidnapping her from school, she decided he should pay for it by getting her there on time.
As she flumped on her seat, Sho didn't ask the driver to start moving. Instead, he hungrily ate his hamburger as if it was the most delicious thing in the world. He said he did not want to be recognised and hounded by his fans, so he took his dinner in the comfort of his car. However, Kyoko knew it was only an excuse and he didn't bother getting out because he was a lazy ass.
"Why aren't you asking him to move?" Kyoko demanded.
"I'm not done yet" He mumbled, nibbling off another small bite and chewing it in slow motion.
Rolling her eyes, Kyoko looked away. It was her favorite hamburger. She knew Sho only picked it to get on her nerves, and it totally worked. She never showed it but the delicious and savory aroma danced in her nose making her mouth water. Even though she just had dinner!
"I know that face." He smirked. "Want a bite?"
Kyoko groaned inwardly. She should have known this cheapskate wouldn't drive her for free without causing any trouble. She now regretted not skipping dinner and taking a cab like she was planning to.
"Oh come on. We can share. Just like we used to when we were young." He offered the burger to her, his smirk widening. Kyoko could see how much he was enjoying it. Gulping, she cocked her head to the side. "I don't want it! Hurry up! Because if I get late, I swear to God I'll make you regret it!"
"But I can't eat. Why don't you eat it for me?" He moved the burger dangerously close to her face, so much so that Kyoko was almost tempted to eat it and she jerked back in her seat, when Sho suddenly stopped. His eyes settling on the car window behind her, recognition sparking on his face.
Following his gaze, Kyoko turned her head to look out as well, and the sight left her numb from head to foot. On the other side of the garage was a familiar car parked. A car in which she had driven in dozens of time. But it wasn't the vehicle sending the cold sensation in her chest but it's owner who stood right beside it looking directly at her. Ren Tsuruga.
Instinctively, she did the first thing that she could think of and it was to hide. Ducking beneath her seat, she tried to hide herself before she could be seen, even though she knew it deep down that it was too late. In was only for the breifest of moments but their eyes had met. Ren had seen her! In a car beside Sho!
Remembering Sho, she looked up to find him shooting a glare outside the window in the same direction where Ren was. Crap! She grabbed him and pulled him down. "Hide!" The word was a loud whisper. Her desperation etched into her tone.
"Why do I hide? It's my car!" Breaking free of her hold, Sho sat back up.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the garage, Yashiro was freaking out. There was no doubt about it that the ginger-haired girl in that car with Fuwa was Kyoko. The fact that she went to the trouble to hide after seeing them was even more proof, and it did not help her odds.
As the manager contemplated on what was going on, he cast a worried glance to his client beside him. Just as he had expected, swirling waves of anger were emanating out of Ren. But to his surprise, instead of suppressing it and hiding it behind the facade of his usual poker face, it seemed like Ren had let it out and run wild.
"R-Ren?" The manager hesitantly tried to pull him out of whatever murderous fantasies he was building in his head, and he was definitely building some judging from the ruthlessly cold glint in his eyes.
"Let's go." Ren said, turning his back towards the manager. "Let's not make the Director wait." He marched off leaving Yashiro with no choice but to follow.
Shuddering, Kyoko stole a glance out of the window, and when she saw no sign of Ren, she sighed, sitting up straighter. Not because the danger was gone, but at her own rotten luck as she imagined what Ren would have to say about her getting in a car with Sho, specially after what that jerk had done to her on Valentine's day. From where he was standing it must have looked like they were eating hamburger together. But the truth was it was actually Sho pushing the burger in her face. How would she ever explain herself? She flinched, grabbing her hair.
"Why in the world are you so scared?" Sho drew his brows together. "Do you think he'll care about us being together? He's a star. Just because he pays attention to you occasionally since you're in the same agency, you think you're special?" He snorted. "You're really are gullible. You think you're special because he's nice to you? Newsflash, he's nice to every girl he meets, and that's all part of his act!"
Instead of getting angry, Kyoko felt something twist within her at his words. All of a sudden, she was suffocating, so she jumped out of the car with Sho following her. When she spoke again, her voice had lost all it's energy and bubbliness and charm. Even it's anger which she had reserved just for Sho. There was only sadness. "Do you think I don't know that? I don't need you to tell it to me. Ren only looks after me because the President must have told him to do so."
Even though Kyoko had said the words Sho wanted to hear, her tone bothered him to new heights. "So you're not special to him and it bothers you? That's why you're using such a miserable voice?"
Being pointed out, Kyoko realized her own blunder. "Whose voice was miserable again?" She shouted, her old energy back. "I don't care about him!"
She turned, but instead of getting a sassy comeback from Sho like she had been expecting, he narrowed his eyes and inched towards her. Suddenly, her back was pressed against the wall of a pillar with his face was only centimeters away from hers, as he invaded her personal space in an attempt to intimidate her. "I don't believe you." He whispered softly. "Since you tend to dream a bit too much when it comes to fantasizing about stupid things like love. If you are not lying, then raise your head, look me in the eyes and say it again."
Kyoko didn't move.
"Say it again! That you don't care about him!"
"What's your problem? Why are you taking it so seriously?" I'm leaving!" She started walking away, but Sho grabbed her wrist and slammed her on the wall, towering over her. "Wha- Ouch!"
"Say it again. That you're not in love with Ren Tsuruga."
Closing her eyes tight shut, she hung her head low. She wanted to say it, and not because Sho was threatening her. She had been wanting to say it out loud, just for her own consolation that her heart was safe, however, for some reason she could not manage to get the words out.
With a sigh, she looked up again, straight into the deep brown shade of Sho's eyes. And when she did, the words tumbled out of her mouth in a shout. "I'm not in love! Not with Ren or anyone else! You're the one who taught me how love can ruin a person! Do you think I'm crazy enough to put myself in the same position and go through all that heartache again? No! I'm not stupid enough to fall in love! And if I were, Ren would be the last person it would be with!"
"Why?" Sho raised a brow. "Why couldn't it be Ren?"
"Because he's the only one who will help me achieve my goal. You're so self centered. You think everything is about you, don't you?" She snorted. "You're wrong. I did start acting just to get revenge from you, but now it's not what's driving me forward. Now I'm acting because it's my passion. I'm acting to find myself. And Ren is the only person who can get me on the top! He's the lighthouse that shines in the darkness, illuminating the goal I should head for. He's the guidepost I can't do without. To me he's the best textbook available, who'll haul me high as an actress!"
"And what about your revenge?"
"I want to become an actress for myself, but that doesn't I mean I don't wanna beat you still. And Ren will help me through it. I'll use his kindness and help to get to the top! Despite what you think, I don't have time for silly things like falling in love! Specially with my only mentor and risk losing his support!"
"What if you still do? You can't control your heart. I'm convinced that you have no intention of falling in love with him, but what if you lose?"
"I'm not so weak anymore. It's my resolve."
"What if you lose?"
"I'm not gonna lose, and even if I do then..."
"Then?"
"If I get sucked up by something as dangerous as love again, I'm gonna leave all this and go back home to Kyoto."
"That's not good enough. If you break your biggest promise, it's too less."
"In that case, I'll serve as a waitress in the Fuwa inns for the rest of my life! That good enough for you? You know I'd rather die than doing so. So now are you convinced, that I'll never allow myself to fall for Ren?"
To be continued.