Heels 13
Thank you everyone! To those who read and to those who review.
Every review is like nutrients for my motivation and inspiration. You are awesome!
Ladygraywolf- You have been a real treasure to me. I love to hear what you think after every chapter. It was a pleasure to read everything you experienced. You have given me several insights that I know will mould my story in the future. Thank you! Hugs.
Setsuka e cain – Thank you for continuously reviewing. I hope google translate suffice in translating your reviews. You and I have the same attitude against Sho! I couldn't help to punish him a bit. I have plans for the commercial in the future, it will be a blast! Thank you dear!
Sleeping knights – You sure know how to boost someone's confidence! Your review is a diamond in my treasure-box. Thank you for taking your time to review. Hugs!
Kurokatana64 – I want to hear everything! Good and bad and so-so things. Give me everything J Here is a chapter in exchange! Hihi
TheAngelofOblivion-DarkMadness – Your penname is freaking EPIC! As this is a good kind of drug… Here comes the next kick!
.jenseixX – This is even more intimate interaction on a new topic. I hope you will like it!
Alfwyn – I'm on it! I will polish this up with my dear Ketria. Thank you for pointing it out! Hugs
Alitablake – Sorry. I thought it wouldn't bring much to the chapter. However… I might make a dream out of it… Good idea! Neat! Thank you for the inspiration! Thank you I feel much better. Hugs!
KetriaTM – Thank you for everything. Every moment and effort you put into this is like a precious gift. Thank you. And you knew before everyone what happened to Ren ^^ Haha!
CamogianGrl – The wait is over. Dun-dun-duuun!
PaulaGaTo – Kisses! Me gustas tu! I'm well and here you go! New chapter! Kiss!
Kurakuma – And he is DOWN! Bathtub vs Ren 1-0! Ding ding ding!
Muntolove – here you go!
Tabbykatroses – Oh my love… I have forsaken thee! Accept this gift of mine as a token of my devotion! A new chapter! But blasphemy! A cliff-hanger has possessed the end of my chapter. Don't get too upset with me, my dear. Even thou I have fallen in love with the way your cape flutters when you sashays away…
Lin-dragon-dreyer – I am a BAD person! I had to do it! I'm sorry… I feel really bad about it too…. I promise! Here is a new chapter to make you forgive me!
Sara – I think this is like the epitome chapter of intimacy so far. Hopefully you will like it!
Guests – Thank you! I always worried that my descriptions were lacking. Thank you for pointing out that they are good ^^ It gives me confidence. – You have to be a bit more patient! Sorry ^^
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Here is the new chapter!
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Kyoko was leaning against the bed, red as a beet, when she heard a yelp and a dull thud.
Kyoko lifted her head as she could hear water hitting tiles. She was on her feet before she even formed a thought and ran towards the bathroom.
"Ren!?" She called out but didn't wait before she ripped the door open and rushed inside.
Kyoko almost slipped on the water-drenched floor as she came to a stop. The bathroom was almost as big as the bedroom and had both a shower and a tub in separate corners. The bathtub was directly to her right and she could see that it was filled with water.
"Ren?" Kyoko flipped around in search of him but couldn't see him anywhere. It narrowed down the possibilities considerably and she ran up to the tub.
The surface was filled with air bubbles and as she reached the edge, she caught sight of the top of Ren's head that slipped beneath the surface.
Kyoko didn't even think. She reached out and pulled him up again with her hands beneath his arms.
"Ren!" She called again and felt her heart clench in fear when she saw his relaxed face dripping with water.
'He must have slipped and hit his head!' Setsu was filled with the same concern as Kyoko tried to get a better grip of his arms.
But he was simply too big. Her small hands couldn't get a proper grip and the angle was bad in the first place. His head was above the surface but as she pulled him straighter up, his head fell forward and ended up far too close to the water again.
"Ren! Wake up!" Kyoko called and saw a twitch of pain in his face. Kyoko felt the tears of relief burn her eyes while she adjusted her grip again.
The angle was wrong and Kyoko slipped on the wet tiles. When the tip of his nose dipped into the water again, she stepped into the tub. She sat on the edge behind his head and managed to get his upper body somewhat straighter. Kyoko felt her arms shake and knew she wouldn't be able to keep him elevated for long. An idea hit her and she slipped down into the water behind him.
She wrapped her arms around his upper body and pulled him against her. Ren's head slumped back against her shoulder and Kyoko felt herself pull a steadying breath.
"Ren?" She called him worriedly and tried to find grip with her feet as Ren's heavy body threatened to pull them under again.
She cursed and pushed off her shoes, one at the time, and managed to halt their movement by hooking her feet beneath his upper thigh.
When she was certain his body wouldn't move off her feet, she dared to turn her head to watch his face and move his hair away. Ren's eyebrows furrowed and Kyoko felt tears roll heavily down her cheeks. She moved her hand carefully over his scalp and found a prominent bump a few centimetres above his left ear.
"Ren!" Kyoko called him again as she carefully patted his face.
"Mmmmh?" Ren groaned but she could barely hear it above the sound of the bubbling water. She reached over and pressed the button to the jet function and the water soon calmed down.
"Ren! Can you hear me?" Kyoko sobbed worriedly and she felt Ren move in her arms.
"Ouch." Ren groaned and he lifted a hand to his head. "Kyoko? What happened?"
Although his voice was trembling, Kyoko couldn't help to smile and slump her head against his shoulder and neck. She could feel him move more and more but she didn't let her grip loosen.
'My heart is beating like crazy.' Kyoko thought and lifted her gaze above his shoulder. She couldn't help to freeze when she saw the now transparent water and Ren's body that was all for show.
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Ren slowly drifted back to consciousness when he heard his name repeated into his ear. A jolt of pain radiated from his temple and he immediately recognized the feeling.
'I hit my head and passed out.'
'It hit a good spot. But I shouldn't have been out for too long.' Kuon continued to analyse his body and came back with several astounding revelations.
First, he was still in the tub but his face was above the surface. Secondly, Kyoko's voice seemed to come from a place very close to his right ear. Thirdly, his backrest was very comfortable. And lastly, there was something touching his butt.
Ren couldn't help to make a pitiful sound when things were a little too confusing for him. The bubbles that had tickled his legs stopped and everything got more silent.
"Ren can you hear me?" Kyoko sobbed into his ear and his heart rate immediately climbed in response.
'Is she crying?' He made a move like to turn around but his head was hit with another painful jolt as soon as he started to turn it.
"Ouch." He grunted and stilled. "Kyoko? What happened?" He was more worried about her state of mind than his own. Ren glanced down on his chest and saw her barely reach around him enough to grip her own wrist.
'Kyoko… she is right behind me. Why?' Ren couldn't fit the new fact into his mind until he saw the pair of shoes that floated to his right.
'Did she jump into the bath with clothes on?' Kuon began to pull a smile but Ren clenched it.
'She must have saved me. I'm still in the tub. I could have drowned.' Ren thought and felt her arms tense around his chest.
A warm fuzzy feeling started to burn in his gut and he couldn't help the smile any longer.
'She must be crying because I scared her.'
"Ren." Kyoko's voice only ghosted hot air over his shoulder but it seemed to hit his mind like a hurricane.
"Ren." Her voice filled with desire echoed in his mind as he remembered what he had realized just moments before he passed out. Actually, it would be more correct to say that it caused him to pass out.
'Kyoko does see me as a man.' The discovery made Ren's heart tremble in delight and fluster. Several tight knots unravelled in his chest and he relaxed against her frame.
Ren didn't move for a long time but neither did Kyoko. He could feel her body against his and hear her rapid breathing against the shell of his ear.
"Eh…" Kyoko stammered and Ren turned his focus to her. "You might want to cover… yourself… just a bit." Ren could feel the heat from her cheeks directly against his neck and his heart fluttered in a thrill.
'You are not a gentleman at all. You are not supposed to feel happy about embarrassing a little girl.' Kuon chuckled mentally when he felt Kyoko shift around behind his back.
"I think we are far past getting embarrassed about something like this right?" Ren couldn't help to tease the girl behind him.
'She could have seen me in the shower multiple times. Either way. I'm too bad!'
"Ah... oh… well." Kyoko sounded flustered but Ren couldn't see her face as his head still throbbed every time he was about to move it. "OH! How are you feeling? I should call an ambulance." Kyoko's voice suddenly climbed several octaves and got erratic.
"Ohhhnnn." Ren groaned when she tried to move and accidently jolted his head.
"What happened?!" Kyoko sounded scared and Ren moved his hand and patted her knee.
"Please don't move. I just hit my head. I need half an hour without moving then I will be fine." Ren smiled and hoped his calm voice would carry over to her.
"Ren! Please. You could be seriously hurt!" Kyoko stammered on the words and Ren couldn't help but to smile.
"It's okay." He cooed and closed his eyes. In all honesty, his mind was still a mess but his heart had just received some solid hope for the first time in months and the adrenaline made him pull coherent sentences together.
"You don't know that!" Kyoko sounded close to tears again and Ren twitched a smile.
'I have hope. But I can't only take… it might be time for me to…'
'Really?' Kuon asked surprised and Ren pulled a long breath. Kyoko sounded fanatic but she didn't move behind him so he guessed she wanted to believe his words.
'I have to take this opportunity. I will never dare again otherwise. Let's ride with the flow and take a step to deepen our relationship.'
'You… you are brave.' Kuon sighed but didn't complain. The nervous energy spread to his limbs and he moved his hand to stroke her knee again. There was no distance between them and she wouldn't be able to run so he felt a little brave.
"You don't have to worry, Kyoko. I have experience with this kind of injury." Ren sighed and glanced up in the ceiling. The silence behind him told him more than words. Kyoko was waiting for him to continue. "You already know that Tsuruga Ren is my stage name. No one in Japan except the President knows my real name. There are several reasons for me to take a stage name and one of them is my brutish childhood." Ren wished he was able to see her face.
'Maybe this is better.' Kuon thought and twitched a sad smile.
"My parents are people frequently seen in the media. As soon as I could talk, my father would bring me with him and I fell in love with the business too. I wanted to be the greatest actor in the world!" Ren couldn't help his mood to turn low.
'Come on. You are doing great.' Kuon said and pushed Ren to keep talking.
"The harsh reality soon caught up with me. No matter how hard I fought there were always people who said that I was riding my parents' coattails." Ren said and clenched his jaw a bit harder than he intended.
"Like Hiou-kun." Kyoko whispered but he didn't comment on it. He was on a roll and had to finish before his courage ran out.
"I tried to ignore it for so long but the rage built up on the inside and eventually it exploded." Ren swallowed. "There were a lot of people I could fight and I never ran. I fought back until no one could take me on. Fighting was everything and it consumed me. Then…" He couldn't finish. The words turned to ice on his tongue and froze every movement.
"Someone got hit by a car?" Kyoko asked carefully beside him and Ren's heart stopped.
'How…?' Kuon trembled in fear on the inside.
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Kyoko didn't dare to breathe. She had no idea why she said those words but as soon as they left her lips, she immediately knew that they were true. Ren's heart had made a leap when she said it and his whole body tensed.
'A car accident? Oh… the car scene with Dark moon. And if you add the time when he fought the seaweed.' Setsu was able to pick out the hints and put it together into a picture.
Ren hadn't said much but his words fitted like missing jigsaw pieces in her mind.
'The President is the only one in Japan that knows his name. Then, his parents aren't here, nor the people he worked with in the past. Considering his flawless English…'
'THAT TIME! When he did the American gesture! He didn't deny it so I thought it was false! Bo had already called him on his lying tactics, of course he wouldn't deny it again!' Kyoko felt her nose wrinkle.
'He really must have been raised in America.' Setsu smiled when Kyoko put the clues together.
"How…" Ren's voice was thin like the wind and Kyoko turned her focus to him again.
'Ohh no! I shouldn't have said anything!'
"You don't have to tell!" Kyoko quickly said and frowned. "It was just something I guessed and even if it is true, I don't want to force you into telling. So, just don't say anything." Kyoko felt her heart squeeze in pain and shame.
'He is feeling pain! I don't want to make him talk about it. I-i want to know… But he might not be ready! How could you Setsu!?'
'What? You are in charge at the moment. I only thought about it, you didn't have to say it!' Setsu pouted and Kyoko bit her lip.
Ren moved in her arms and he turned to her with a face full of fear. Kyoko was too shocked to keep her hold and he sat sideways with his upper body twisted towards her.
"How? How do you know about Rick?" Ren's voice trembled and Kyoko felt her heart sink.
'It was his friend. This Rick was his friend…'
"I guessed it…" Kyoko couldn't help herself from speaking. "After the Dark Moon car scene…" Ren flinched and Kyoko saw the trembles in his arms.
She had a sudden flashback to their Katsuki ad lib. Back then she didn't know how she would act when the man she loved was trembling in front of her. Now she knew.
Kyoko pulled her legs under her and got up on her knees. She pulled his head to her chest with one hand and put the other on his back. She moved close enough to force his back straight and held him close to her body.
"Don't speak. Just listen to me." Kyoko said and almost felt like crying when she saw how lost he looked. Ren closed his eyes and he put his hands on her hips. It felt like he was about to push her away but she refused to move.
"You would never hurt a friend on purpose!" Kyoko said and Ren froze in her arms. His hands didn't put any force in pushing her away so she continued. "I might not know everything about you but I know THAT. No matter who you were before, things like that don't change!" Kyoko started to pat his wet hair and pulled him even closer. She took one minute to organize what she would say next as Ren stayed frozen.
"I know that you never would hurt a friend. You would never let a friend get hurt if you could prevent it. No matter what happened, that did not change!" Kyoko stumbled over the words but felt satisfied that she could get them out. She continued to stroke Ren's hair as the echo of her voice died out.
She only looked down when she felt Ren's shoulders jump beneath her hand.
His forehead was pressed against her upper stomach and his face was looking down. She felt like he listened but he didn't move for a long time.
'What is he thinking?' Kyoko couldn't help to get worried but was determined to stay firm and resolute.
Ren slid his hands up her back and suddenly tilted his head back to meet her face. Kyoko couldn't help but stare in confusion.
The poor grudges perished with horrified screams when the divine light hit her.
"How is it that you are able to say just the right things?" Ren asked with a beautifully crooked smile.
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"You would never hurt a friend on purpose!" She had said with such firm conviction that Ren couldn't help to be stunned.
'What?' The fear dispersed like fog in a hurricane. He felt empty and confused while she pulled him hard against her frame.
He had felt like mist just moments before but she had collected him and kept him in one piece.
"I might not know everything about you but I know THAT."
'She sounds so sure!'
'She is right. Rick always said that his world and my loyalty would be a bad mix.' Kuon thought with the same stunned expression.
"No matter who you were before, things like that don't change!"
Kuon felt very confused at the moment. His father and mother had told him over and over again that what had happened that time wasn't his fault. Yet he couldn't help but to blame himself. Rick would have been alive if it wasn't for him.
Tina's voice echoed in his mind but Cain snorted at the message.
'Murderer? How? Did you plan it? If you had noticed the car what would have happened then? Tell me, WHO would have thrown himself in front of the car, headfirst, to save Rick if there was even a sliver of a chance to succeed?'
"I know that you never would hurt a friend. You would never let a friend get hurt if you could prevent it. No matter what happened, that did not change!" Kyoko pulled him even closer and Ren let out a stunned breath.
He had always felt the guilt dig deeper into his heart every time someone had said "It wasn't your fault." or "It was an accident."
He would find reasons to prove them wrong in his heart, even if he didn't say it.
But… He couldn't do the same with the words Kyoko said, as they were completely true. He had prided himself in his loyalty and devotion to his only friend.
'Rick died because of me. That is true.' Kuon said.
'I would never let a friend get hurt if I could avoid it. That is also true.' Ren thought and couldn't help the fuzzy feeling in his body.
His shoulders jumped from the mix of sobbing and stunned chuckling. His confusion was too great and his body reacted accordingly. His confusion was expressed as chuckles.
'I was blind with bloodlust. That was my fault.' Kuon forced himself to repeat the same 'facts' that had tortured him for more than five years. However, this time he could add more truths to the argument.
'But I would never have let a friend get hurt if there was anything that I could have done to prevent it.' This thought was also true. Ren and Kuon exhaled in amazement when the feeling of relief suddenly washed over him. It couldn't clean everything away but it was a ray of light that suddenly lit up a dark place.
'Shit. Kyoko…'
'How is she able to….' Ren slid his arms to cradle the small of her back and lifted his face to look at her. The girl of his dreams met his gaze and he saw the tear-streaked cheeks and the flustered determination that put a mesmerizing glow on her skin.
He had never seen anyone as strikingly beautiful before.
"How is it that you are able to say just the right things?" Ren asked in wonder. The hard mass that was more than five years of pain and guilt in his chest suddenly got covered with cracks.
Kyoko's face suddenly got slack and devoid of emotion. A slight whimper left her lips and her pupils grew wide.
He had never seen her like that.
'Bluescreen…' Kuon couldn't help but make the analogy.
'What happened?' Ren smiled as he tilted his head just slightly to the side.
A shiver started in her legs and travelled to the top of her head. Ren stared in amazement when she sported goosebumps over every visible part of her body and a glowing red fluster followed its wake.
Her face suddenly made the expression he only had seen on two separate occasions. One was when he had accused her of fantasizing about his body after gifting Maria with the Ren doll. The other was when he had 'read' her memories as Kuon in Guam.
It was pure embarrassment and he rather liked the look.
"I-I didn't say anything un-true!" Kyoko stammered and Ren sighed and smiled even wider.
'I know. You completely believed in your own words. That's why I was able to hear them.'
"You are amazing Kyoko." Ren said and put his chin against her upper stomach.
The wet fabric felt cool to his skin but it was as if it had been draped on top of hot rocks and it soon burned his skin instead.
'Wow she is really blushing.' Kuon smiled a rare smile.
"W-what?" Kyoko stammered again and started to move her arms like she didn't know what to do with them.
"You are very precious to me." Ren felt his face protest from the rare expression that pulled his muscles. He let his emotion bleed out and envelop her. "To have been able to meet you in this life, I am truly grateful."
He wanted to brand the expression on her face to his retina forever. He wanted to see it every day and be the cause of it. The girl in his arms didn't know how incredible she was and Ren frowned upon that mystery. He was completely convinced that Kyoko needed to realize what a wonder she was and Ren had started to explain immediately.
"Ren!" Kyoko wailed out in embarrassment.
'I love hearing my name from her lips.' Ren thought. Not even the jolt of pain that flashed through his brain could stop his current mood. However, Kyoko seemed to have noticed him tensing up for a moment.
"Ren! Your head!" She cried out and cradled his head carefully. The heat in her face changed for concern.
"It hurts pretty bad right now. I have to start over with half an hour rest." Ren could see how worried she was and gave in with a happy sigh.
"Then lean on me!" Kyoko said with a fighting spirit that made Ren want to laugh. He stopped himself from it as it would have jolted his brain.
"Kyoko. Why don't you take a shower in the meantime? I promise not to look and then you can help me back to bed?" Ren asked and Kyoko stared at him. He thankfully didn't see any suspicion in her eyes and he honestly had no intention to look.
"I will check up on you every minute. You are not allowed to pass out!" Kyoko said like it was decided and Ren twitched a smile.
"I promise I won't pass out." Ren said and slowly loosened his grip on her.
"I will trust you then." Kyoko said as she slowly rose up from the water. She watched Ren carefully move until he had his back towards the shower and gently place his head down on the headrest.
Kyoko watched him carefully and then slipped out of the tub while picking up the drenched shoes.
"Are you sure it is okay? The water isn't cold or anything?" Kyoko asked and Ren smiled.
"I'm fine. The seat is heated."
"I will hurry then."
"Don't worry. Those 'stickers' will take some time to get off." Ren said and saw the confusion in Kyoko's face.
"Oh!" She suddenly seemed to remember the nipple-covers and the beautiful blush heated her cheeks again. Ren felt a bit mean but Kyoko only nodded and then headed for the shower behind him.
'I can't believe she actually would shower with me in the room.' Ren thought and twitched a frown.
'She is just worried.' Kuon sighed at Ren's frail confidence.
'You are right. I already know that she sees me.' Ren thought and relaxed onto the seat.
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Just a few tenths of meters away two men sat shoulder to shoulder. You would immediately know that the men were good friends as they held each other's hands with a crushing grip. Their knuckles were white from the force they used to hold the other.
One man was a handsome, tall man in his forties while the other was a bit older and dressed in a general uniform.
A pair of friends meeting in a hotel room in the middle of Tokyo was nothing extraordinary. However, the rivers of tears that travelled down their cheeks was indeed something to marvel about.
"That kid!" LME's President Lory wailed and the rivers flowed with renewed power.
"MY children!" Kuu cried too and grasped Lory's hands harder.
They both were seated on a bed with a computer in front of them. Each man had one earpiece that relayed the conversation from the room further down the hall.
You must know that Lory had not chosen to spy on his charges with bad intentions. His curiosity purely had gone out of hand. He hadn't planned to activate the bugs if not for his visitor's sudden demand.
They had been seated face to face at a nearby table just half an hour ago, when Kuu suddenly had jumped out of his seat with a pale face and demanded to see his son.
Lory had connected his computer with the bugs he had placed in their room and the men had listened in to Kyoko and Ren's conversation.
'He is scary.' Lory thought and glanced to the side at Kuu. 'He knew something had happened.'
The line had connected just when Kyoko had run into the bathroom screaming Ren's name. Kuu had been half out of his seat when he heard Kyoko's frantic voice. Lory had gripped his old friend's hands in an attempt to keep him seated. It had worked and they both had been still since then, listening.
"Boss…" Kuu sobbed and glanced at his friend. Lory could read his expression like an open book.
"She is marvellous. Not only could she make him talk. She could actually make him laugh with such vigour." Lory couldn't help but to feel a small pang of guilt in his chest. How could he not have known that Ren carried all that pain in his chest? He had thought that it was something that needed time and perspective to process and therefore hadn't pushed the topic.
Now when he could hear the happiness in the young man's voice, Lory couldn't help to regret his cowardness.
'If I could have said the same things… How many years of pain couldn't I have spared him from?'
"I wish I had been as talented with words as my second child, all those years ago." Kuu said to his side and Lory felt the heavy pain that rested behind the sentence. "But" he snivelled, "there is no point thinking about the past. Kyoko took a part of his pain today. How can I, as a parent, not feel joyous from the bottom of my heart?" Kuu smiled though the tears and started to relax his grip. They both were in dire need of a tissue.
"I know you do my friend." Lory said and handed a handkerchief to Kuu and retrieved another one for himself.
They both soaked in the glow of happiness for a while before Kuu cracked a wide smile.
"Boss. Tell me again about his message to you." It was at least the fifth time Lory had told him the words but he could humour his friend once more.
"'With neither light nor shadow in my life. The picture of the boundless future that is now visible for my eyes is full of splendour.'" Lory had said the words a hundred times to himself and already five times to Kuu but they still managed to stir some happiness in his chest.
'I wonder what happened in Guam that made him relay those words to me. Whatever happened must have been a prelude on today. The defences around Ren's heart have crumpled and sunlight has started to warm his soul.' Lory thought and watched Kuu twist and turn in delight.
"I have hoped for so long…" Kuu said and pulled a deep breath. "When he suddenly called me and asked for a favour… I couldn't help to get my hopes up." Kuu smiled widely.
"Ren still has a long way to go. You have to patiently wait for him to contact you." Lory reminded Kuu with a stern gaze and the handsome man's face turned into a pout.
"I'm here to visit my second child!" Kuu snorted and Lory sighed.
"Fine. But not today! We will give them this evening for themselves." Lory put down the rule and Kuu let a dejected sound slip.
"Fine! I have to make a grand entrance tomorrow then." Kuu cracked a smirk and Lory felt his brain tingle in delight.
"Leave it to me!" The President said with confidence and Kuu laughed. He should have been tired but felt like he could run a marathon. His pulse was high and his face threatened to split in two from his smile.
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Kyoko carefully lowered Ren's head back onto the pillow and frowned from the concentration.
"Kyoko. I feel a lot better already. I promise." Ren said with a soft chuckle but Kyoko couldn't help to get worried. Ren hadn't been able to bend down and put on his pants on his own! How could he be alright?
Ren had towelled his upper body dry and then wrapped the towel around his hips. Kyoko had fitted his feet through a pair of boxers and his sleeping pants and pulled them over his knees. Ren had then sat down on the edge of the tub and pulled the last part himself. They hadn't bothered with a shirt before leading Ren to the bed.
He was now lying down with a gentle smile on his face and Kyoko didn't know where to look.
'My heart trembles every time I see that smile.' Kyoko shivered and put up a few protective screens to cover the few remaining grudges.
"Ren…" She had no idea what she was going to say but needed something to distract herself with.
"Humm?" He asked happily and Kyoko started to get worried she wouldn't get enough blood in her brain if her heart wouldn't stop clenching.
"Ahh… I don't remember what I was saying." Kyoko gave up and simply turned to walk away. She was too flustered to stay that close to him. She only turned halfway before Ren's hand gripped her sleeping shorts.
"Stay with me?" Ren asked with a smile and Kyoko felt the heat climb on her face again.
"Ren…" How could she stay by his side at the moment? Her real feelings were right beneath the surface. The slightest ripple would stir the emotions and she was afraid they would show on her face.
"Kyoko." He simply answered and gripped her hand. He slowly but firmly pulled her towards him and she obediently climbed up into the bed. She refused to lay down and instead sat at his hip and pulled her knees up to her chin. She wrapped her free arm around her legs while she faced his head.
"You can lay dow…" Ren started but Kyoko shook her head.
"I'm fine sitting up." Kyoko said with a blush and Ren only smiled wider. He let her hand go but then reached over his stomach and gripped her other one. Kyoko changed hands and allowed him to take her right one.
Ren rested their hands on his stomach and slowly rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. Kyoko followed it with her gaze and bit her lower lip.
"Kyoko." Ren called her attention and she forced her gaze away from their hands. Ren smiled at her and she could barely breathe. "Thank you for listening to my story." Ren said with a slight frown and Kyoko swallowed.
"Ren…"
"I have never told anyone before. The only people who know about it are the ones who were there." Ren said with a shaky sigh. Ren put her hand flat against his bare stomach and covered it with his own. "I never thought that I would dare tell anyone." Ren turned to her and trapped her with his gaze.
'I can't breathe.' Kyoko felt like crying. The pain was evident in Ren's eyes and Kyoko could somewhat relate. She had been trapped with feelings of hate and they had almost devoured her. Ren had fought with guilt and pain. Just the thought of it caused tears to form in her eyes.
She loved him. Of course she wanted to erase all of his pain! However, she knew it was impossible if he wasn't ready. Today, he had taken the first step on his own and she felt honoured that she had been the one he had confined in.
"You are amazing Kyoko. You make me brave."
"You are the brave one. I only had to listen." Kyoko relaxed the grip of her knees and crossed her ankles instead. She rested her right tight against Ren's side and enjoyed the heat between their bodies.
"You did a lot more than that. I still have a lot buried in my heart that I am afraid to take out. I hope you will wait for me." Ren sounded so frail, so uncertain that Kyoko couldn't hold the tears back anymore.
"I will wait." Kyoko said and nodded.
"I won't take long." Ren chuckled and reached out to catch the tears. "Actually, I want you to know one more thing." He said and Kyoko stared at him. "My real name."
"What?" Kyoko couldn't help feeling excited. "You don't need to!" Kyoko hurriedly said but Ren smiled.
"I want you to be the first to know." Ren said and pulled a deep breath. "Nice to meet you. My name is Kuon Hizuri."
'Kuon… Hizuri… HIZURI!? KUON?' There should not have been such a coincidence.
Kyoko's eyes were blown wide and she got up on her knees. Kyoko gripped his face and moved closer.
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'I can't believe you actually told her.' Kuon stammered inside his head, but soon got distracted when Kyoko gripped his face and suddenly moved closer.
'What is she doing?' Ren couldn't help forgetting his nervousness and stared in confusion. Kyoko was close enough to let their noses touch.
"Wha…" Ren whispered but cut his voice when Kyoko backed off again and started to run her hands all over his body.
'What is happening?' Ren's mind couldn't help to shutter when Kyoko's hands made burning paths all over his skin.
Suddenly, Kyoko hit him hard on his chest.
"Do you know how worried Father has been!?" Kyoko wailed and hit him repeatedly on his chest. The hits were not enough to hurt him but her words shook his soul.
"What?" Ren knew what she was talking about but he was surprised that her first question was like that.
"Fath-father was consumed with a darkness like the one of my heart…" Kyoko's cheeks got wet with tears. "He told me-me that he always wondered if your life wouldn't have been a lot easier if he wasn't your parent…" Kyoko sobbed the words and Ren felt his heart tremble in pain.
'Father…' Kuon couldn't form coherent thoughts. He had never thought that he wanted another parent. His father was his hero. It pained him to hear that his father had felt that way.
"I'm so happy that you are well." Kyoko put her head down on Ren's chest and couldn't help the sobs.
"Kyoko?" Ren felt a bit shaken. He hadn't expected her to react like that.
"Kuon…" Kyoko giggled though the sobs and Ren felt like he had gotten struck by lightning.
'My name…' Kuon thought and felt like he merged with Ren Tsuruga just for a moment. They both loved this girl in front of them and she had the power to calm his soul by only letting his name pass her lips.
The feeling of merging quickly faded and Ren frowned.
"Kyoko…"
"I know. I won't call you by your name until you let me. I just wanted to say it once." Kyoko giggled and lifted her head. "Thank you. For letting me know." Kyoko said.
'For every little thing I give her… she returns five times more.' Ren thought with a sigh. To hear his name from her lips, filled with happiness, was a gift that had nurtured his soul.
"Thank you for letting me tell you." Ren said with a grin.
'I thought this day would be horrible. The script… the photoshoot. I honestly thought I would hate this day.'
'How could I hate a day spent with Kyoko?' Kuon snorted a laugh.
'Or Setsu?' Cain had spent the evening in the back of Ren's mind. He took the opportunity to stretch his legs now when he could.
Ren glanced at Kyoko. Her hair was back to her original colour and length. All the extensions had been removed and the temporally colouring had been washed out. Kyoko was one hundred percent herself at the moment. He would have enjoyed an evening with the siblings but this felt more real.
'More precious.' Ren thought and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was past midnight already and he glanced at the room's other bed.
'Hell no.' He smirked inwards and turned to Kyoko.
"You can guess how surprised I was when you and father acted out that scene at the studio!" Ren laughed and Kyoko's eyes widened.
"I acted you!" She only now seemed to realize and slapped a hand over her mouth. She was too late and the laughter escaped.
"You did. You really captured my emotions." Ren smiled.
"That's why father got so excited when I told him you said that!" Kyoko was breathless.
"You told him?" Ren felt a little relief in his heart. He really didn't want to imagine his father thinking that Kuon didn't approve of him.
"Yes! Father asked me over and over again if I was sure that's what you said! In the end, he believed me and looked really excited." Kyoko beamed like the sun and Ren felt a bit dizzy.
"Tell me everything." Ren smiled and Kyoko nodded.
They talked for a long time and Kyoko continued to rest on his chest. Ren noticed when her eyelids grew heavy and lowered his tone.
He was telling her about that time when his father had taken him for a hike dressed in a motorcycle helmet.
"Why did he have a helmet on?" Kyoko asked amused, with a voice heavy with sleep.
"He had a shoot for a commercial the next day. He couldn't have any scratches on his face but refused to play inside. I believe the helmet was Lory's idea." Ren chuckled and Kyoko slumped down with her head on his chest. She was smiling when her eyelids closed. Ren waited patiently for them to open again but a soft snoring started to sound instead.
'This has to be happiness.' Ren thought as he lifted his hand and stroked some strands of hair out of her face. A soft smile twitched in the corner of her mouth and Ren smiled in response.
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Kyoko stirred awake by the sound of the alarm and a smile immediately played on her lips. She knew the feeling of skin beneath her fingertips and the smell that cradled her mind.
"Morning." Ren greeted and Kyoko smiled even wider. There was something different about Ren's voice this morning that she enjoyed tremendously.
"Mornin'." Kyoko echoed and pried her eyes open. Ren had one hand thrown leisurely behind his head and the other reached out to move some strands of hair out of her face.
"You haven't moved even a centimetre. How do you feel?" Ren asked and Kyoko frowned.
"I should ask you the same!" Kyoko bantered him and Ren smiled.
"I feel absolutely fine." It was strange, but Kyoko believed him.
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They had a carefree morning as themselves. Kyoko packed their things while Ren fitted his Tsuruga Ren wig. They brushed their teeth side by side and Ren couldn't help smiling at the homey feeling.
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Kuu sat on pins and needles when the company car pulled up to the hotel's secret exit and the driver got out to open the door.
'What if Kuon gets mad at me?' Kuu shivered by the thought but it was far too late to change the plan.
'Boss and that man Yashiro have to have worked overtime to make this happen.' Kuu felt grateful for the effort they had pulled for him.
He was suddenly brought out of his brooding when the elevator sounded. Kuu was a man that had met a lot of high-status people and scary characters. He had never been as nervous as he was at the moment.
It hadn't been long since they last saw each other as Ren and himself, but after listening in to their conversation the evening before, he feared that he would see a change in Kuon and react instinctively with happiness.
"Kuon." He breathed when he saw the young man through the shaded glass. Kuu knew that he could see them but they couldn't see him yet. Kuu pulled his focus together and pulled his face to form a confident expression.
Kuu turned his focus to the girl and felt real joy in his heart.
It had only been a few months but Kyoko seemed more mature and experienced than the last time he had seen her. He felt proudness well up from his gut. The night before had been spent watching box 'R' and he was honestly a true fan of his daughter. The contrast between Natsu and Kyoko was like heaven and earth and Kuu was spellbound.
'I can't wait until Kyoko meets Julie…' Kuu thought with a smile.
The young actors had reached the car by then and Kuu felt a burst of pride again when Ren reached out to get the door.
'That's my boy.' Kuu smiled and fidgeted just a moment. The sound of the car door made him still his movements.
"I wonder what the President wants?" Kyoko asked towards Ren before she turned to the car. She lifted her leg to climb inside but tripped instead.
"Kyoko!?" Ren called out in alarm but Kyoko had her focus forward. Kuu felt like he had been stupid enough to look directly at the sun when she beamed a smile.
"Father!" Kyoko called out in joy. Kuu smiled widely towards her but couldn't help to catch the look of surprise on Ren's face. It was well in Kuu's calculations, yet the excited smile that then replaced the surprise was not.
'Kuon… he looks happy!' Kuu couldn't help his father's heart to flutter with hope.
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Author's note:
WOW. A lot happened in this chapter. I struggled with the big reveals and all the emotions that I wanted to get through to you.
I don't know if you will like it or if you will buy my arguments in this chapter. Ren is getting brave and teasing and I feel like Kyoko deep down will enjoy the attention he gives her.
Kuu! I love this guy. He has so much love towards his family and friends that I get all emotional about him. A lot of family fluff is coming! Brace yourself!
Now some 'bad' news regarding updates! I will travel to Vietnam for an exchange next weekend! I will stay between 29/10 and 26/11 in Vietnam! This will be my first visit and I'm so excited! The exchange is in Ho chi minh city at a hospital in district 5. If anyone has any advice or recommendations (for example; good food to eat, places to visit or local traditions that I shouldn't miss) I would love to receive them!
I will try to get around and write (I have a lot of travel-time for example) but I can't promise to post within 4 weeks. I hope you have patience with me!
Hugs! Until next time!