22nd December
In a karaoke booth, Kyoko was spilling everything to Kanae. Well almost everything.
"Why didn't you tell me before?!"
"At first we thought it was an accident you know. One of those things that happens."
She shrugged.
"When someone put a stolen explosive in my dressing room, we figured it was something a little more serious."
Kanae looked at her best friend. She gathered that to everyone else, it had been obvious since her accident with the stunt.
"So the guys outside?"
Kyoko got a sour look on her face.
"Personal bodyguards. As directed by the President."
She brightened slightly.
"They're really rather good though. I knew they were there as they'd introduced themselves to me and explained but as I set off they vanished! It wasn't until a fan came up to get my autograph that they suddenly reappeared by my side!"
She got a conspiratorial look on her face and leaned forwards. She glanced around.
"I think Sebastian might have trained them."
Kanae laughed.
She sobered up a little and made a halted movement as if to put her hand on Kyokos knee. She looked her best friend in the eye.
"You're okay though?"
"Yep."
As if to prove her point she held up both arms to show the complete lack of bruises.
"All good."
She smiled and Kanae couldn't help but smile to.
"And Ren?" Kanae asked, slightly grudgingly.
To Kanaes surprise, Kyoko laughed.
"He's fine. Or he will be. His balance is affected due to the damage to his ears. He's all wobbly."
Kanae pictured the panther like grace of Tsuruga Ren. Then she imagined him all 'wobbly'.
She snorted. She looked at Kyoko and both girls burst out laughing. They wiped tears from their eyes.
"Kyoko."
She looked at Kanae.
"I would like to hug you."
Kyokos jaw dropped and she threw herself at Kanae for a hug. Kanae resisted every urge to reach out and block her, instead catching her best friend.
She counted to 5 in her head and then tried to let go.
"Umm... Kyoko. You can let me go now."
"Ah! Sorry Moko-san!"
Kyoko hastily let go.
Kanae was embarrassed. She cleared her throat.
"Finish your drink then we'll go shopping."
Kyoko lit up.
15 minutes later, they were bundled up and stood in front of a shop window admiring a dress. Kanae was trying to convince Kyoko to buy a cute lilac dress.
"Why though? When would I wear it?"
"It's called having a wardrobe. Remember the fiasco with the Dark Moon after party? This way you're prepared."
Kyoko looked thoughtful.
"The price though."
"You can afford it. You make a good wage anyway and I know what we're earning on Ever After."
"How?"
"Shoko-san is a very good manager."
Kyoko allowed herself to be pulled into the store, where 30 minutes later, she not only had the dress but also 3 pairs of jeans (on sale), a few t-shirts and tops (also on sale), and a light jacket that would be good for the spring (not on sale but she really liked it and used Kanaes reasoning of preparation to justify it to herself).
Kanae had picked out two dresses and a killer pair of heels.
The till girl recognised Kyoko, though admitted that she had only really looked her up after the interview with Ren.
Kyokos face fell and heart sank. Her worst fear.
The girl noticed and proclaimed that yes, while she had first looked her up because of Ren, she now loved her for her work. She had loved Dark Moon and Box-R was a great favourite of hers. Shyly, she admitted that Natsu was a bit of a role model to her fashion wise.
Kyoko was stunned and speechless. Kanae nudged her.
"Thank you so much for your kinds words."
And bowed a crisp 90', narrowly missing the counter with her head.
The poor till girl was shocked and said not a word as she rang up the girls purchases. Kyoko thanked her and the till girl looked shocked. An actress had thanked her! Most of them she served where very stuck up. As they left Kanae noticed with a smirk, that the till girl was already on her phone, probably texting her friends.
As they left Kanae turned down the road and looked at Kyoko.
"This way. Just past the subway entrance a little and around the corner is a nice cafe. They do a really good hot chocolate."
Kyoko almost jumped for joy.
Halfway down the road Kanae got a strange feeling. She knew that, yes, they were being followed but this was a whole different sense of unease. It was a shiver down her spine.
"Oh Moko-san! Look! Isn't this cute!"
Kanae glanced over her shoulder before turning to Kyoko who was holding out a scarf. It looked a bit like Natsuko, the Presidents snake.
"And it's only 1000 yen! Can I have two please?"
The vendor bowed and handed them to her.
Kanae looked mildly disgusted.
"You're not... umm..."
"No Moko-san. I wouldn't expect you to wear it. It's for the President."
Kanae visibly slumped in relief.
Kyoko laughed as she tucked one into her bag and wrapped the other round her own neck.
Kanae looked down the road at the large crowd at the crossing. She wasn't about to take Kyoko into that, what with everything going on and the creepy feeling she still had.
She pulled her over to an over road bridge.
"Come on. It's good exercise."
Kyoko nodded and together they walked up. At the top Kyokos phone vibrated. She stopped and pulled it out. Kanae carried on, oblivious to the fact Kyoko had stopped. She went to say something to Kyoko and realised she wasn't there. The bodyguards where still at the bottom, giving the girls what little privacy they could.
The text had just been an advert. She put her phone back in her pocket and hurried to catch up. As she got close, Kanae saw someone run up the stairs the opposite side to the guards. That wasn't unusual in this city. The girls had come to the stairs. The runner was level and then stopped right by Kyoko who also stopped. Kanae looked at them. They were wearing sunglasses, a hat and a face mask.
Kyokos eyes went wide as the runner pushed her in the middle of the chest. Straight down the stairs. Kanae reacted without thinking and reached out.
She caught the head of the Natsuko scarf and pulled.
Kyoko collapsed onto the landing. The bodyguards where running along the bridge. Kanae spun to grab the runner. To get a look at them, catch them if she could.
She caught their arm, gripped tight. They yanked their arm free and yelled,
"It's Kyoko and Kotonami Kanae!"
As people crowded towards them, the runner escaped into the throng. Pissed off, Kanae pulled Kyoko up by her arm. The bodyguards fought through the growing crowd and escorted them downstairs. The only problem was people down here had heard to. People pushed upon them, taking photos and shouting. The guards began making a path, pushing people back so the girls could move.
Kanae noticed an empty taxi nearby. She tapped one of the guards on the arm and pointed.
"I'm heading for that taxi. I'm going to put us in it and go straight to LME."
He nodded and made a path to the car.
She practically threw Kyoko in the back, followed by their shopping and herself. She barked the destination at the driver and turned to Kyoko.
"I'm sorry for grabbing your scarf. Are you okay?"
Kyoko nodded.
"It didn't hurt. The shock of the possibility of falling down those stairs and then the relief of hitting solid ground instead has got me a little frazzled but I'm fine. You saved me! Thank you! And thank you Natsuko scarf!"
Kanae laughed.
"Thank you impulse buy!"
Kanae took care of the fare and steered Kyoko into LME.
She bypassed reception and headed straight for the elevator. Straight up to Lory.
Both girls recoiled in shock when the doors parted and Sebastian was there.
They exchanged 'how does he do that' looks and followed him to a waiting room.
"The Master is currently occupied so if you would please wait here. I will bring some tea. Please allow me to take your things."
He vanished.
"Moko-san. Why are we here?"
"Someone tried to hurt you."
"But it was..."
"If you say accident I may have to smack you. They ran up to you. Stopped by you and tried to push you down the stairs. When that failed they caused a distraction to get away. I'm sorry I didn't manage to keep a hold of him."
Kyoko took Kanaes hand and gave it a squeeze.
"It's okay. You're safe, I'm safe and you got us away. It's what I would have done."
They both shot off the sofa when Sebastian silently reappeared and intoned;
"The Master is ready now."
Kyoko noticed with satisfaction that he was properly dressed. He'd chosen the Western version of Santa, complete with fur trim, beard and reindeer. One was casually eating the plant in the corner of his office.
"Good afternoon ladies. What has happened?"
Both girls stared at him from where they had deposited themselves on the sofa.
"Kyoko was very excited about today, you both have the whole day off and Sebastian reported you turned up in a taxi without the bodyguards I assigned to you."
Kanae and Kyoko launched into what had happened.
"Well done Kotonami-san. You did excellently! Now, are you okay?"
"Just annoyed I couldn't keep hold of them but you can't have it all."
Lory chuckled.
"No. No you can't."
Kanae stood.
"If there's nothing else?"
Lory shook his head. Kanae stood and bowed, patted Kyoko on the head and left.
"Kyoko-chan?"
She had gotten up to leave but was hesitating.
"I, uh, I think it might not be appropriate and you don't have to accept it but I saw it and I thought of you and just had to get it."
She pulled Natsuko 2 out of her bag and handed it to Lory.
"Merry Christmas President Takarada. I know it's early but please accept it with my thanks."
Lory loved it.
"Now I can have Natsuko with me all the time! Thank you Kyoko-chan!"
"Your welcome. I shall take my leave now."
Lory barely noticed, deliriously happy with his new scarf. Kyoko left with a smile.
She texted her day to Ren and headed for the Love Me room.
She got a reply almost instantly.
- Would you be careful?- R
I'm trying to. Dinner tonight? - K
My place - R
Ingredients? - K
... -R
I'll stop in the shop on my way up -K
I finish at 10. See you then 3 - R
3 - K
She beamed. People staggered from its aura in a daze. Anyone who was caught up in it spent the day in a joyous and lovey mood.
A few hours and a LOT of paperwork later Kyoko was in an LME car on her way to Rens.
As she walked into the store, she smiled. Kotaru Aoi was on the counter and Kyoko hadn't seen her in a while. She picked up dinner ingredients and joined a long line. Aoi seemed to be the only one working.
"Hello Kotaru-san. How are you?"
"Kyoko! I saw the Box-R finale. It was beautiful. Really well done."
Kyoko blushed.
"Me and my friends are having a party and it's costume and we're going as Natsu and her friends!"
"Oh, for a birthday?"
"Oh no, graduation." She sighed.
"Your graduation must have been beautiful."
"I don't know. I don't graduate until Spring so I suppose I'll find out then."
Aoi looked shocked. She'd thought Kyoko was older. Kyoko laughed and explained about the magic of make up.
"It's very busy in here today. Are you on your own?"
Aoi nodded.
"The other girl who worked here just quit this morning. No warning or notice just quit and the manager can't get here and it's to soon for him to have found a replacement.
They traded some more small talk and when taking her change, Aoi held her hand briefly and looked her in the eye.
"Be careful."
She said it with such sincerity that Kyoko was slightly shaken. She thanked Aoi and rushed up to Rens.
Only once inside did her heart rate slow, but the ominous feeling remained.
