A frown marred her face that had been perfectly still in a deep slumber for the past few hours. Her head hurt, which was the reason she was frowning even in the state between sleep and consciousness. She could hear someone calling her name and holding her hand to their face. She assumed it was a man given that she could feel the scruff of an unshaved beard scratching her fingers.
The desperation in his voice stirred her awake and she could see the strain on his handsome face. She could tell he hadn't slept well and had probably spent the night by her side considering the state of disarray of his clothes and tired posture. The moment his eyes met hers she could see the relief in them but also something dark lurking behind them. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly but it almost seemed like frustration. She frowned deeper trying to think of reasons why he'd be annoyed with her but couldn't come up with any, she had just woken up in an unfamiliar room and her head hurt. A lot.
Wincing at the sharp pain, she noticed a person approach her from the other side and took the opportunity to observe the room. It was clearly a hospital room based on the machinery next to her. It was pristine white and clean but even the flowers covering the multiple surfaces couldn't cover the smell of disinfectant and saline that was ever present. The man in the lab coat introduced himself as Ashibahara-Sensei and informed her he had been caring for her since she was admitted last night after collapsing.
At the mention of the incident she felt the man holding her hand grip it harder, not to the point of pain but it was not comfortable either. She paused her train of thought thinking that something didn't feel right. Since when was she comfortable holding a man's hand so casually? She tried retrieving her hand from his grasp but he wouldn't let go. The doctor noticed the small struggle and narrowed his eyes making the man let go of her hand immediately much to her relief.
"Kyoko-san, how are you feeling?" she blinked at him before answering. His voice was much deeper than what his appearance suggested but it was comforting. "My head hurts" she replied with a small voice that was slightly foreign to her, as if her vocal cords weren't developed for loud noises.
The doctor made a few notes on the chart in his hand and stepped closer to examine her, when he reached a hand to palpate her scalp she involuntarily flinched. She wasn't sure why since the hand coming towards her was fully within her field of vision the whole time and didn't seem threatening. The doctor narrowed his eyes once again and made a few more notes on his document.
"I apologize for startling you" he said in a reassuring tone, accompanied with a look as if he knew better but was giving her an out from the real reason for her behavior. "I need to examine your injuries and conduct a neurological check to ensure you have no further damage or repercussions from the impact." She consented and prepared herself a little better for his touch, now that she expected it she was able to stand still. "Can you please tell me your full name and date of birth?" he asked as he touched different places on her head.
"Mogami Kyoko. I was born decem-" she turned her head at the sound of the man next to her scoffing and frowned slightly. "Please refrain from interrupting or aiding her with the questions" the doctor sternly told him before instructing her to continue. "December 25th, that's my birthday" she replied softly, looking down at her hands. She couldn't understand why but she felt as if she had done something wrong.
"Do you remember what happened last night?" he asked her as he retrieved a small pen flashlight from his pocket and shone it in her eyes, making her wince at the brightness. He gave her an apologetic look but encouraged her to answer the question. "I-" she paused, trying to remember but nothing came up. It seemed as if everything in her mind was blank, making her concerned and looking up at the doctor in a small but properly disguised panic. "It's alright if you don't remember, don't force yourself"
The man next to her took out his phone from his pocket and gave it to her: 'BREAKING NEWS: 'Last night during the Oricon Chart best of the century party, Fuwa Kyoko collapsed while walking the red carpet in a beautiful pearl white kimono with intricate-' she was interrupted when the doctor gently took the phone from her and gave it back to its original owner.
"Fuwa Kyoko?" she asked no one in particular, seeing a picture of her face next to one of an ambulance in front of a crowd of people. "What, you forgot we're married too?" the man next to her asked her frowning, clearly upset and annoyed. "It's not uncommon for head injuries to cause short term amnesia Fuwa-san" the doctor reproached him. "Can you please tell me the last thing you remember, Kyoko-san?" the doctor encouraged. She looked at him then to the man next to her, her husband apparently, and shook her head slightly in a negative gesture.
"I see. We will have to run some more tests before we can give you a proper diagnosis as to why you collapsed last night and any side effects from it. One of my colleagues in the neurology department will come shortly and evaluate your condition further. In the meantime i suggest some rest" clearly directing that last part to the singer next to her indicating that he shouldn't agitate her further.
The doctor finished adjusting her pain medication and left the room, leaving the two of them in an uncomfortable silence. "You really don't remember?" She turned to look at him and noticed the hurt look in his eyes as he asked the question, as if the thought of her not remembering him, their marriage, was causing him actual pain. "I'm sorry" she said meekly, feeling bad for hurting him and averting her gaze.
After a few more minutes of silence he spoke again. "Kyoko look at me" he ordered with authority but not sternly. She looked at him and truly looked at him. His short blond hair was styled to be slightly spiky, she could see the remains of makeup that he'd probably had on the night before. His leather pants were wrinkled as was his pearl white shirt covered in black lace. His blue eyes shone with determination as he took a deep breath "I am Fuwa Sho, we grew up together" he paused hoping that bit of information was enough to stir her memories.
At her blank look he sighed with a small amount of exasperation and continued "My family raised you and we ran away to Tokyo together when we were 15" she looked at him in a slight panic. Why would she do that? Agree to run away with this man? She wondered briefly why his family raised her but he interrupted her as he continued "About a year after, we had a fight and you went back to Kyoto and became the heir to my parents" she felt a tightness in her chest and looked away "it's fine really, i never cared for the ryokan anyway" he told her with a smug smile that relieved her a little.
"I came back to Kyoto after a stupid band was stealing my songs and you put me in my place" he said with a laugh, "you were so angry that i had run away with 'my tail between my legs' and let 'all your hard work and sacrifice' go to waste. You were like a demoness" he told her with genuine affection in his gaze.
She smiled at him, he clearly was making an effort to give her an abridged version of their relationship and she could almost feel the memories, as if they had a lingering taste in her mouth but weren't quite there. Her hand suddenly went to her cheek almost as if in pain and he cursed under his breath. "Of course that's the one thing you remember" he said guiltily and looked out the window to avoid whatever shone in her eyes.
Kyoko hadn't remembered anything, but she trusted her body knew things her mind was blocking and it left her pensive. He had to love her, right? To have married her he must love her. And for her to accept she must love him too. She analyzed his profile as he continued avoiding her gaze and tried to remember. How could she forget someone she had known for… so many years? "Fuwa-san-" she started to ask him a question "Sho. You call me Sho, or Shotarou if you're angry, or Sho-chan if you're trying to get your way" he interrupted.
She smiled gently at him, she could still see the regret in his eyes but wanted to know more about who he was, and frankly who she was. They spent the day talking, he told her how she'd forced him to go back to Tokyo and deal with Vie Ghoul, he'd laughed when she was appalled his rival band had named themselves after a sweet dog breed and he had laughed and laughed to the point a nurse had come in to tell him he was disturbing other patients.
He told her how they'd stayed in contact and she'd shown him how wrong he was for leaving like they did, and encouraged him to go back to Kyoto to properly apologize to his parents, how they had made up and had even attended an event with him. He had been proud to show his parents to the world, he had been less proud when his mother called him Shotarou in front of reporters.
He told her she'd humbled him and brought out the best in him even when he didn't want to. That after making up with his parents and seeing her again his music had shifted, it was deeper and more meaningful and that it had been thanks to her he had been able to go international. He sang her the first song he wrote for her, and showed her a picture of the grammy he had won because of it.
Sho told her the story of their courting, how he'd tried to convince her to move to Tokyo for university so they could be closer, how she'd rejected the idea because of the Ryokan, how his parents ended up convincing her that her education was a priority. How he'd begged and trailed behind her in Tokyo for a full year before she even agreed to give him a chance.
She still had no recollections of her life but they way he spoke of her and their story made it abundantly clear that even though clearly there had been ups and downs, mistakes and hurt, he truly loved and cared for her.
Kyoko was released from the hospital the following day and was excited to go back 'home'. She hadn't known what to expect, from what Sho-san, what they had compromised she would call him, had said they lived in a penthouse near his agency. She had been overwhelmed by the amount of fans waiting outside of the hospital, after all she was the wife of an awarded singer.
His manager and a girl named Mimori had accompanied them all the way home. The later was overly kind to Kyoko, but her smiles seemed slightly forced and her eyes a little strained. Kyoko had wondered if the woman didn't like her for some reason or if she'd done something to offend her but when she asked Sho-san about it he brushed her off telling her she was seeing things that weren't there and that she and Pochi were close friends, that they'd even been together before she collapsed.
It hadn't made sense to her, if they were friends why wouldn't she have said so herself? Perhaps she was being paranoid but the younger woman lingered her gaze on the singer and always took a fraction of a second too long to acknowledge her when she asked a question. Perhaps she was simply being distrustful since she couldn't remember but the doctors had said that her memories should come back slowly as her concussion healed, and that being exposed to familiar environments and people would be good for her.
Driving through the city Sho, Mimori and Shoko were having a conversation about his work so she watched on the unfamiliar sights. The city seemed familiar yet different somehow, it felt like going back to a childhood home after the new owners had made changes. Having reached a stoplight, she focused on a billboard for a soda commercial. It featured a beautiful girl with blond hair singing with three men following after her. For some reason it felt wrong to her, as if that wasn't the way the commercial was supposed to go, there were 2 girls in it, weren't there? She frowned as the commercial ended and tried to figure out why she felt it had been wrong.
Once they reached the penthouse she took in the place. It was beautiful, she couldn't deny that, but it didn't feel like somewhere she could call home. It was clad in black leather and filled with expensive looking artwork, it felt a little morbid with how dark everything was but she could see little things here and there that were irrevocably her touch.
A vase of Kyoto chrysanthemums here, cherry blossom branches there, even a goth looking but unequivocally identifiable Daruma doll with one eye still unpainted. She walked into the room as the others continued talking about work, forgetting for a moment that she was even there with them or the circumstances surrounding her. She felt uncomfortable interrupting their conversation so she simply removed her shoes and followed her body as it led her into the kitchen.
For some reason in this space she did feel at home, the enormous kitchen was specifically tailored for her with cabinets and things measured to her height and things within instinctive reach of where she would put them. She found a kettle and made some tea, unsure of what they liked but hoping this would be alright.
She brought over the tray to them to find them in an uncomfortable silence. Sho looked upset while Mimori looked annoyed and Shoko sighed in resignation. She noticed Kyoko with her tray and thanked her "why don't you ask her? She should be part of the decision" Shoko told him as she took a sip of her tea and looked over at Kyoko with gratitude. "I'm not going to. I'm not leaving her." he said with finality as he took his tea and drank it in one big gulp.
Kyoko frowned at his poor manners and he looked contrite. "If you need to go somewhere that's fine, I can entertain myself" she added, sipping her own tea. He was starting to contradict her when Mimori interrupted "He has a concert tomorrow and he insists on canceling it" she said with annoyance. Kyoko stayed silent for a minute as Sho stared daggers at their friend.
"It's a really important concert. It's the finale of his current tour, you know? After that he'll have plenty of time to play house with you." Kyoko could feel the disdain in Mimori's words but decided to ignore it. She could imagine the girl being frustrated, she was supposed to perform as an angel or something in one of his songs from what she had heard of their conversation in the car.
She smiled her perfect Okami smile at Mimori. "It's alright Sho-san, i-... you shouldn't disappoint your fans" she replied after hesitating for a moment. She had wanted to say that she was fine being alone but the tightness in her chest made her pause.
Sho looked at her with a pained expression "the one time i left you was before the Oricon party. We were supposed to meet there but you got hurt and now you can't even remember me. How can I leave you again? What if something else happens?" he said with hurt evident in his voice. "Tell me what is more important? A show I've put on a thousand times, or you?"
Kyoko felt warm inside, the candor in his eyes was something she hadn't expected. She might not remember anything but she knew he wasn't lying. She was about to reply when Shoko gave her an apologetic look before interrupting "You know i'd do anything Sho, but canceling right now would be a pretty big hit for your career. You know the Americans will be attending, that's why we added the live PVs into this show. You might have put a thousand concerts Sho, but none like this one"
Sho was glaring at his manager, she usually always helped manage his schedule so he could be with Kyoko so he couldn't understand why she was going against him on this. "It truly is okay, Sho-san. I don't mind" she told him with a confident smile.
"Well I do!" he yelled, punching the table with enough strength to leave a mark in the dark wood. She flinched, the action causing her to spill the tea but she wouldn't move. She let the tea drip into the carpet as everyone stayed silent.
With the dignity of a woman raised as the heir of the Fuwa Ryokan Kyoko stood from the low table in one swift motion and gave Sho an icy stare as if all of the hatred in the world resided in her heart. Her gold eyes looked so cold as if the fire that usually lit them was coming from the deepest pits of tartarus. "Is that so, Fuwa-san?" she asked him with a voice he didn't recognize. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have done so before and I shall do it again" she informed him while pinning him down with her stare.
They stayed in stunned silence for a few minutes, the atmosphere so cold and suffocating leaving no room for counter argument. Sho had never seen her like this,and if he was honest with himself he was a little afraid, he didn't know her to be capable of such darkness. Nobody moved or even let out a breath until she blinked a few times, clearing the molten fire in her eyes.
A flicker of pain crossed her face and he was snapped out of his stupor and sprung to her side, ignoring the two shocked women still sitting. "We'll talk about this later. You need to rest" he said as he grabbed her hand with a little too much force and dragged her into their bedroom. "The two of you can let yourselves out" he threw behind him as he slammed the door.
"Come on Mimori-chan, i think those two need some alone time" Shoko told the younger girl who just nodded her head in silent agreement. Neither woman spoke on the way down in the elevator. Shoko was stunned, she had been there the day Kyoko had left him after throwing a burger at his face, she had been there to pick him up in Kyoto after they made up. She had been there for every single one of their fights since, for all of his fits of jealousy and all of her concealed frustrations. All of their fights about the past and the future. But she had never seen her talk to him with such coldness and ire on her face.
The last few years had been an adventure and Shoko was perpetually grateful to Kyoko for the change in Sho. He had been a spoiled brat before even though he always took his music seriously. But after the incident with Vie Ghoul and having her back in his life he truly had stopped being a boy drunk on his fame and became a man with a purpose, and the shift in his music had certainly paid off. But sometimes she worried, she could see his love for her consume his mind the same way music did.
He had obsessive tendencies, for both music and his wife, he truly couldn't live without one or the other. But where he shared his music with the world, he wanted to keep her to himself. He sometimes treated her like a prized object, worthy of admiration and envy. He bragged about her as often as he could, showing her to the world but keeping them at a distance. The moment someone looked at her too long or asked a question about her he immediately became defensive and possessive.
Back in their room Sho held Kyoko's arm above her head and her face with his other hand as he pressed his body into hers against the now closed door. She stared into his eyes with a little bit of fear but also defiance as she struggled against his hold but he wasn't budging. His eyes were focused on her, his face almost a sneer. They continued staring at each other until he finally sighed and rested his face against the door, his lips right next to her neck.
"You have always taken care of yourself. Hell, you have always taken care of me too. Why is it that you won't let me take care of you just this once?" he pleaded as he lowered her raised arm and trailed kisses along her neck. She stiffened for a second and then relaxed as he kissed a particularly tender spot behind her ear.
She let the breath she was holding come out of her lips and watched as it slightly moved the hair on his nape. When he finally released her arm she moved her wrist wincing inwardly at how hard he was actually holding her and put her hand on his head to pet him softly. He must be scared, she could tell he loved her by the desperation in his eyes but there was also something darker lurking underneath that made her slightly weary.
Once he had calmed down he picked her up and put her to bed mentioning that he'd bring her something to take the medication the hospital had sent her with. She took the opportunity to observe the room and once more felt out of place. It was very big, with a king sized bed in the middle of the room. The right side of the room nearest to the door had an enormous vanity that was clearly his, filled with makeup and hair products that made her heart sting in longing.
She frowned at the sentiment and looked towards the other side of the room, there was a simple black desk with university books on it, a well worn desk chair, and a bookshelf next to it. There was a door which she assumed led to the closet, and another one that probably led to a spacious bathroom.
It was odd how different both sides of the bedroom were, even within the same space. His side was opulent with luxury items in every available space while hers looked simple if a bit boring. She wondered if perhaps that was a reflection of who they were as a couple or even as individual people. She closed her eyes as she focused her mind trying to force memories to come back.
With no luck and no Sho in sight she sighed and turned on her side, noticing her nightstand for the first time. It had a beautiful swan shaped perfume bottle next to a picture of her and Sho on what she imagined was their wedding day. She was wearing a beautiful white kimono embroidered in red flowers and she looked lovingly into his eyes. He was holding her waist with one hand and her face with the other as the picture was taken in front of a beautiful Japanese structure which she correctly assumed was the Fuwa Ryokan.
"You should eat, i'll find something on the tv for us to watch" he said, coming into the room with a tray that he placed on her lap before laying next to her. He browsed different channels and stopped when Kyoko grabbed his hand, her interest piqued by some sort of drama.
She saw a young girl with long black hair covering half of her face and felt the same sense of wrongness that she'd felt when seeing the soda commercial. The girl was too gloomy, too reserved, it wasn't deep enough for what the storyline suggested. She watched as she threatened a beautiful blonde girl who was a good enough actor, but there was something lacking in their performance.
Sho whipped his head towards her when he heard her whisper "Ren" as Katsuki entered the scene to defend Mizuki. "What did you say?" he asked with something deep and sharp hidden in his words. She looked at him briefly before gluing her eyes back on the screen "That is Tsuruga Ren, isn't it?" They both internally wondered how she knew that. She wondered if she'd met him before and was starting to regain her memories. He frowned before replying "he is" as he analyzed her face that was too focused on the tv.
They continued watching the show in silence, he spent more time watching her face and her reactions as she continued to slowly eat. Once she was finished he took her tray and froze at the door on his way back when he heard her say "that's wrong. That's not how he looks when he's in love."
She felt more than saw the dark aura that was surrounding him as he approached her, each step echoing in the spacious room. "How would you know that?" he asked as he reached the bed. She backed away on the bed trying to put some distance in between them but only managed to get halfway through the bed, an opportunity which Sho took to jump on the bed like a tiger and trap his prey under his lithe body.
"How would you know what Tsuruga Ren looks like when he's in love?" he repeated his question in a soft whisper filled with menace. She was paralized underneath him, her body telling her not to run away or fight him, muscle memory preventing her from making the situation worse. "I-... I don't know" she whispered truthfully. "How is it that you knew his name but couldn't remember who I was? We're married!" he said sternly. "Why did you immediately recognize him but you still can't even say my name!" he yelled at her.
He was asking too many questions she didn't have answers to. She couldn't control the things she remembered and she was concerned by the look in his eyes. "You are mine Kyoko" he said as he gripped her body against his. "I couldn't bear to lose you again" he whispered in her ear, almost begging her. She stayed still as he continued hugging her body until he finally relaxed and let his weight drop, crushing her slightly.
They stayed like that for a few moments in silence before she wiggled her arms out from under him and softly pet his head. He must have been scared with her accident, and frustrated about her lack of memories. She could imagine she'd be if she were in his shoes. Kyoko pet the back of his head and relaxed her own body, she could feel his chest vibrating faintly, almost as if he were purring.
"How about I come to the concert with you? I'll stay in the back in your dressing room" she proposed as she continued petting his head. He raised his weight into his elbows and looked down at her with eyes filled with annoyance "Why are you so insistent? I'm just trying to keep you safe" she frowned at the bite in his words and he looked away. The eyes currently staring at him were not the warm soft eyes of his Kyoko, they hadn't been since she woke up in the hospital. "I don't want to impose on you" she told him softly. "You're my wife!" he almost growled in her face.
She sighed and closed her eyes. He could tell she was displeased, he had learnt to see the invisible signs of frustration in the perfect Okami façade thanks to his mother and plopped his weight against her once more, mumbling something she couldn't hear. "If you talk into the mattress i can't understand what you're saying Shotarou" He sprung up looking into her face with hopeful eyes and she felt a little remorse for using the information he had given her to get her way. "Now without the mattress, what did you say?" she asked him, hoping to distract him. "You'll stay by the stage, within my line of sight. I'll have a couch set for you right where i can see you"
Kyoko smiled at him and thanked him, it wasn't the reserved smile with sparkling eyes that his wife often gave him, but a more honest and tender one. One with perhaps less pain behind it as if their past had stopped chasing them or the future stopped pressing on them. He melted at that smile, it wasn't the same smile she had given him before he broke her heart or the one she'd given him in their childhood while calling him a prince, but it was a smile that that lit up his heart and inspired his music.
He couldn't help himself as he kissed her deeply, she was startled at first but the look he gave her left her skin tingling. She leaned into the kiss and let him caress her body as she drowned in the new sensations. He trailed kisses down her collarbone as he unbuttoned her shirt and whispered into her body in between kisses "you are mine" over and over again.
She was breathless as he took off his shirt and unbuckled his belt, and tentatively raised her hand to touch his skin. He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the bed so her hand was flat against his chest and they were both now sitting. He looked into her eyes asking if he should stop. Trusting her body once more she leaned a little forward and kissed him softly, giving him permission to proceed, albeit with caution.
He was gentle at first, kissing and caressing her gently, almost as if he was afraid he'd hurt her. But the deeper she kissed him back the less control he seemed to have. He pulled on her long black hair to lift her head and gain easier access to her lips, as his hands expertly removed her clothing, starting with her shirt then her pants. She had turned her face away in shame at being so bold and brazen with a man, but he'd gripped her face forcefully and made her look into his blazing eyes.
His eyes were glossy and shiny, lost in the lust of the moment as he took off her remaining garments and didn't even take a moment to appreciate her naked body, simply impaled himself in her. She let out a small yelp of pain at the sudden intrusion which he hushed with a kiss followed by a whisper "shh don't make any noise" he told her as he retreated and pushed himself further with a thrust.
He whispered promises into her skin, composing songs as he made love to her. He told her how much he loved her and how she belonged to him only, how he'd make sure he was the center of her universe and that she'd never be let out of his sight again. The sensations in her body overwhelmed her enough not to fully process his words, but she heard them and at some point or the other she'd see that there was something wrong at the core of his sentiments.
He continued the rocking motions as his hands grabbed her naked body with enough force to cause her a small amounts of pain, but every time she'd let out a small whimper he'd shush her and caressed her softly until he couldn't control himself again and the cycle repeated.
She grabbed onto his neck, closer to climax with each stroke of his, the crescendo making her body quiver in anticipation when he suddenly stopped. A chill entered his gaze as he looked down at her panting face. "This is your punishment. This is what you get for letting that platform wearing pretty boy's name out of your mouth before mine. This is what happens when you claim to have seen another man's face in love" and with one last look full of hatred and jealousy, he withdrew from her completely and locked himself in the bathroom, turning the hot water on.
Kyoko was in shock. Sexually frustrated, confused, and phyisically and emotionally hurt. Why was he punishing her for something she had no control over? Her eyes watered against her will as she let the tears spill down her cheeks into the bed. She felt dirty, and used. She had let him touch her because she had trusted him and he had left her in such a vulnerable state to punish her. He hadn't even bothered to remove his pants. She allowed herself a few minutes to gather her clothes and cry silently. Is this what her life was?
Once she was dressed again she stopped next to the bed and saw the proof on the blanket that he had enjoyed himself while denying her release and broke down crying, crouching on herself on the floor. She cried in frustration, both at what had just happened and her overall situation. She was afraid she'd never know who she was, afraid this was who Sho truly was.
Once she had cried herself out, she cleaned her cheeks with her sleeves when she noticed a small box under the bed peeking from under her side. The box was pretty ordinary, brown cardboard with no markings or indication of what could be in it. It could have easily been mistaken for an item's discarded packaging if not for the weight the box carried. After opening it she saw various leather bound books. Taking the one on top out she opened it to find it was a diary. Her diary. The last entry was dated a few weeks back.
I don't know if i can do this anymore. He is hiding my university books and tearing my assignments, telling me that if i don't finish school we don't have to think about the future. I know he would not move to Kyoto with me, and he knows I have to go back to the Ryokan. It's the deal we made with Yayoi-oka-sama when we got married. He knows it's my responsibility when i took over his position as heir. He says i don't care about him or his music. That if I truly loved him I'd leave them behind like I did when we were 15, that I'm hurting him with my hesitation. I'm afraid of what will happen , I'm sure Shoko-san has seen the marks he's left on my body, and it's only a matter of time before someone less discreet does too. I don't want to damage his reputation but I know if I leave he'll follow, even if only to bring me back to lock me up again. I should have never mentioned the boy who asked for my number, even if it was only for a class project. Please Corn, lend me some of your magic and help me get through this.
It was a short entry in comparison to the ones she had flipped through but it left her trembling. She quickly shut the book and threw it back in the box, the sudden movement toppling the small tower of books inside the box. She took a calming breath and with shaky hands reorganized the books when she felt a sharp cold object in the bottom of the box.
The small purple stone fit comfortably in her hand, it had jagged edges, but not enough to cut her skin. She didn't know why, but the small stone comforted her as she closed her hand around it and brought it closer to her heart. After a few minutes she felt slightly better, less anxious and more calm. She stood again and took a deep breath as she opened her palm to look at the little stone. She held it in one hand and gasped as she noticed it change colors with the passing light from the lamp. She smiled tenderly at it, a warmth taking over her body letting her know she'd be okay.
The concert arena was very loud and the lighting rigs made it very hot. Kyoko wished the outfit Shoko had selected for her were less covered but both of them knew her arms were covered in handprints and bruises that would raise questions. Even if she was not directly under the spotlights, the heat that emanated from the stage was enough to have her sweating profusely.
She was uncomfortable sitting in the area Sho had designed for her by the side of the stage. A small leather couch and a side table had been provided for her, but she felt too exposed both to the people working who kept throwing her glances and having to maneuver around her, and to the concert goers who she could see from her seat which meant that if they looked past sho they could probably see her too. Luckily for her that later one didn't seem to be the case but she still sat as huddled as she could, trying to blend with the environment.
Sho really was an amazing musician, his songs were incredible and the passion with which he sang them really tugged at her heartstrings. But every time he attempted to make eye contact with her during his love songs she averted her gaze and pretended to read the book she had brought or drink some water.
It was fortunate that Sho didn't really have time to stop and talk to her between sets, as changing outfits and doing last minute checks took all of his time. She knew he was displeased by her behavior, she could hear him scoff and tschk every time he passed her, but she was still hurt after the previous night's incident. Fortunately for her, Mimori kept him occupied with questions and demands while clinging to his side so he also couldn't really say anything else unless he wanted to start a fight in front of all of these people.
When he went on stage for the next set, Mimori sat on the couch next to her having finished her performance. Her winged costume hitting Kyoko in her face. "Why are you even here? I thought you were 'too sick' to be anything other than in the way. Then again you are literally in the way of everyone right now" she remarked with a smirk. Kyoko sighed before replying "Nanokura-san, what exactly is your problem with me?"
Her candor took Mimori by surprise, but given that she was asking her directly she figured she could reply honestly as well "I hate you. You think you're so much better than the rest of us because you're childhood friends with Sho. You stole his family and his title and he only married you so he could have them back. You are so plain and boring that no one even understands how someone like Sho deigns to stand next to you. You're an eyesore with no sex appeal and honeslty a mark in his image. He could be so much more now if he hadn't married you."
Kyoko stared at her perplexedly, she hadn't expected such an answer but the words stirred something in her memory. At her silence Mimori continued "You don't seem to understand, Sho belongs to all of his fans. Not just you. You got lucky he gave you the time of day, but it won't be too long before he's rid of you. He has all of us here for him, but you? Who do you have who'll care once you are gone" she almost spat at her as she rose from the couch, almost spilling the glass of water with her wings. Mimori reached to stabilize the cup and blocked Kyoko's line of sight of it with her costume.
"It's a shame, really. You could have avoided yourself a lot of pain if you'd never woken up but I guess things don't always go as planned. Perhaps you even deserve what's coming your way" she added before leaving a trembling Kyoko behind. Her mind was spinning with the idol's words, the implications and threats clear as day. She was pale and sweating cold, which is how Shoko found her a few minutes later.
The manager was definitely worried, she had been trying to protect the girl as much as she could but something must have happened to have her so shaken. She tried to get her to talk to no avail and noticed that Sho was also looking at her with a concerned expression from the stage. Once his song was over he ran towards them, demanding to know what was wrong but Kyoko simply shook her head.
Sho didn't have much time, so he handed her the glass of water sitting in front of her and demanded she drink all of it, thinking she was probably dehydrated from all the lights. None of them noticing the faint powder coating the bottom of the glass.
"I'm okay" she said after a few deep breaths. She wouldn't let Mimori's words affect her, but she definitely would have to talk to Sho about her once the concert was over. It was clear that Mimori was not her friend and she would like to limit her encounters with her. She stood up from her couch insisting that she just needed to walk around a little bit and get some air, which Sho agreed to as long as she stayed within his sight.
He went back to the stage to sing the final song of the night "Thank you so much everyone for coming tonight! I want to close tonight with a song that I know is a fan favorite and particularly close to my heart". As he started singing she recognized it as the first song he had written for her, the one that he had sung for her in the hospital. He sang it with such passion that Kyoko was drawn to the edge of the stage to fully appreciate it, still holding the empty cup in her hands.
It was not a fairytale when it started
I was a prince who forfeited his crown
Cinderella got her heart broken
Even before the clock struck down
All the pain that i have caused you
And all the distance in between
Has done nothing but make my heart grow fonder
And make me hope that you miss me
We can act like enemies if you want to
But i know there's love behind
And i know there's a future together
Because you're always in my mind
We are all each other has
We are all we've ever had
Since the moment we were 5
I have known that you are mine
The song truly was beautiful and he sang it with such candor that she could help but swoon. He looked into her eyes the whole time as he sang, the melody pounding in her head and his voice blurring her senses. She felt as if she were drowning in his words as the music and she felt herself drop the glass that she was holding but couldn't care less. She felt Shoko trying to talk to her, probably asking if she was alright, but she couldn't be bothered to answer, she was too entranced by the song.
Now we've grown and i adore you
Even when we've grown apart
I will do whatever is necessary
To become part of your life
All i can do is beg you
And hope you'll give me a chance
Even though that i have hurt you
You will still save me a dance
We are all each other has
We are all we've ever had
Since the moment we were 5
I have known that you are mine
Now it's time for me to show you
That my heart belongs to you
You are all i've ever wanted
Since the moment we were-
"KYOKO" She heard Sho scream as he dropped the microphone and the band stopped playing. The echo of his scream silencing the arena and turning their attention to where her body had just hit the ground. Her vision was blurry and she couldn't hear his panicked voice, she wanted to tell him to finish the song but she found herself unable to. He was grabbing her face desperately but she was so tired, her body feeling numb. She stopped feeling his tears dropping on her face as she closed her eyes. The only thing she felt was the small weight in her pocket of a purple-blue stone as she let the darkness claim her.
AN: Hi! I'm back! My end of the year was pretty rough and i fell out of love with writing for a bit. But new year new toast. I'm going to be writing through all of the cliches that i love and adore, so i apologize in advance for the cheesiness that will be coming this way. I'm exploring all of the crazy ideas that popped up in my head during my last re-read of the manga. I will also be editing and rewriting bits and pieces of both The death of Tsuruga Ren and How did we get here to make them a little bit more sensical and maybe get the flow o the stories back to finish them.I love you all lots and may 2022 bring us great canon and even greater fanfiction.
