"You whore! He's mine! I'm going to..."
Kyoko stopped reading. At least the threats in this letter were original. All the other letters just told her what she already knew. She knew she wasnt good enough for Ren, but he was adamant that she was good and pure and that he was the one who didn't deserve her. In the end they both agreed that the other was too stubborn to give way in this argument but Ren was making progress. Kyoko no longer vehemently denied compliments, instead accepting them... though she had discovered two new shades of red.
She took another look at the letter. It was very crass. Ripped out letters from magazines, messily applied and signed by 'your doom'. The grudges stirred as Kyoko breifly thought of Sho, but remembered he preferred to make an idiot of himself very publicly and he always wanted her to know it was him. The grudges, soothed by their mistresses logic, settled down.
She sighed. How did these people even know where she lived?! She shuddered, grateful she was always the one to get the post. She was imagining the reaction of Okami or Taisho if they saw that Kyoko was recieving this kind of mail. They must never see! The language alone! Kyoko started to get angry. These people were causing problems for the lovely couple at the Darayuma. She was back to lying and hiding things. She didnt want anyone to worry and she didnt want to be a burden to anyone.
A small voice in the back of her head that sounded suspiciously like Mio, chimed in with 'What would Ren think?"
She paled. Ren would be furious. Not only because she was getting this kind of mail but that she was hiding it from them. She zoned out, thinking about how angry he would be, the lecture he would give and how bad she would feel.
The shadow watching her grinned.
"What a beautiful shade of white!"
The shadow was amused that their simple letter had caused this reaction. (If only they knew what was actually going through her mind). Kyoko would learn. She didnt belong with Ren, they did, and no two-bit, low rent "actress" was going to stop them being together.
Kyoko was still and pale, though she was now having a Kyoko convention.
"I think we should tell Nii-san. He'd sort it out." said Setsu.
Natsu scoffed "Yea by killing them maybe. Let me have a go. I'll take it to level 7!"
Mio sat in silence. Kuon was watching her.
"What ya thinking Mio-kun?"
"Don't call me that brat. You will address me properly"
"Fine then Hongo-san. What are ya thinking?"
Mio glanced around, realising she was the only one with an ounce of sense.
"I think we should tell the president. He has the resources to sort this out and then Mistress can get back to work"
Kyoko slowly returned to reality. Mio was amazing! Always so logical and smart (and yes the fact that she is Mio is completly lost on Kyoko).
The president would know what to do! She put the offending letter in her bag and threw the rest in the incinerator. She unlocked her bike and as she headed for LME she thought about how all this had come to be.
As she speed down the road on her bike she was thankful she'd had those cameras installed. They could see who was the mailer, and warn them off maybe. They usually backed off once they knew they'd been caught.
She pedalled out her anger and made it to LME in a new personal best. She stepped off the elevator on Lorys floor and bowed to Sebastian.
"Good morning Sebastian-san."
"Good morning Mogami-san. The President is currently on a call. Would you like to wait?"
"Yes please."
"Very well. Maria-san is in the 'Curse room' if you would like to wait there."
Kyoko beamed and hurried off down the hallways. She burst into the room.
"Maria-chan!"
"Nee-san! Thank Gods you're here! We've had an issue with the menu. The butcher we're using cannot provide everything we need!"
"Maria-chan, calm down! It's only the 1st. There's plenty of time."
"There's only 24 days left!"
Kyoko dug around in her bag for her phone and pulled up a few numbers.
"These are butchers I know through work. They'll be able to help."
"Nee-san! You're amazing!"
Maria lauched herself at Kyoko.
"Thank you!"
With that she rushed out off the room, heading for the office. Laughing to herself, Kyoko decided to follow. Surely the President was done with his call, especially with Maria headed his way.
Maria wasn't in Lorys office but the man himself was done with his call. He waved her in. He was dressed in traditional Finnish christmas garb. Everyone knew that Christmas began on December 1st for Lory.
"Kyoko-chan, what a lovely surprise! What brings you today?"
She pulled the letter out of her bag and placed it on his desk.
"I got this this morning."
He picked it up and looked at it.
"Well they are certainly descriptive. Patient, too. Oh I see they've added something about your accident on set. How are your arms by the way?"
She held them up and he could see the last remnants of the bruises were fading away.
"Was this the only letter?"
"No I had some others but they were like the ones that come here. Girls sending me tear stained notes stating that while they wish they were me, they wish me luck and such. Those are kinda sweet. I kept a few but everything else went in the incinerator. I thought this one was different though."
"Indeed."
He stroked his beard.
"I will put a security detail on the Darumaya. Completely unintrusive. They'll keep an eye on the people posting the letters and watch over the Okami and Taisho."
This was a great relief to Kyoko. Lory levelled his gaze on her.
"You may also want to think about moving your moving date closer."
Kyoko nodded.
"I'm going to talk to Ren about it later."
Lory could see the gloomcloud over her head. He decided to change the subject.
"I saw the interview. You were fantastic and you were beautiful."
The doom cloud grew denser. He scrambled for another topic.
"How is the grateful party coming?"
This perked her up. She started going on about details, outfits and food.
"And you're still okay to do the tea ceremony for whoever wins?"
"Yes sir. I'm actually looking forward to it a little."
"Brilliant! I'm glad to see your excited for it. A year or so ago and you'd be in here begging me not to make you do it."
Kyoko giggled.
"I've learnt it's easier to just do it and be thankful for the experience. You're a force of nature President."
Sebastian coughed. It sounded very much like he was covering a laugh.
Lory pouted.
Kyoko stood up.
"I have some paperwork to do regarding the party and LoveMe. I will go to the LoveMe room. I just thought I should bring that letter to you."
"Wise decision. Please do talk to Ren and do not leave this building."
She bowed to them both promising she would talk to Ren and not to leave without Ryu.
2 hours later Kyoko was still doing paperwork in the LoveMe room. There was still no sign of Ryu. At half 1 with no sign of Ryu, nor any answers to her numerous calls and texts, she decided that Ryu must be very busy and headed back upstairs to ask the President for an escort to TBM.
She knocked on his door and Sebastian opened it. He stood back to allow her in.
"Kyoko-chan! Twice in one day. I am a lucky old man."
She smiled.
"I've come to see if there is someone who can escort me to TBM. Ryu-san must be very busy as she isn't back yet and I have Kimagure Rock in an hour. She's not answering her phone either."
"She's not answering?"
Kyoko shook her head. Lory tapped on his keyboard a few times. His face darkened.
"Sebastian."
"Sir" he said and vanished.
Lory got on the phone and made a brief call.
"Kyoko come. I have called TBM. They will call a stand in."
"Ummm... why?"
"Because Itawa-sans GPS is telling me she's in the hospital."
