Heels 19
Thank you, the wonderful people that have reviewed this, for the past months.
There is a lot of development in this that I need for the next few chapters. Thank you, for being so patient with me.
Hugs!
- Let's begin -
(Recap)
"If it's not too much of a bother. Instead of a phone call tonight…" Kyoko smirked as she realized what she was about to say. Her tone made Ren swallow loudly on the other end.
"Yes?"
"I would rather spend the night at your place."
…..
Ren froze in his tracks and turned the phone to double-check the name on the display. It still spelled Kyoko and he returned it to his ear.
"I will ask Yashiro about my schedule for tomorrow." Ren heard himself say without a tremble in his voice.
"Good." Kyoko's voice lowered slightly, and Ren closed his eyes and shivered.
"I will message you the details later." Ren said but didn't manage to sound as confident as he wished. He knew she didn't mean anything other than dinner and to sleep in his guestroom, but he somehow knew that she was teasing him on purpose. That knowledge made all the difference.
'Kyoko is teasing me by flirting.' Ren felt like some higher power laughed at him as he had done the same before. It was an all too sweet revenge.
"Bye, Ren." Kyoko's slightly thicker voice enveloped him and he stammered out a response before ending the call.
Ren would deny it later, but he needed a really cold shower before heading out for the day.
(End of recap)
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Kyoko flipped the phone closed and firmly held eye contact with the girl in the mirror. The image showed a flirty mature girl and Kyoko took a moment to remember the feeling and the expression. She would be able to use it in her acting and felt her actor's spirit vibrate to life. The characters in her head stayed unusually quiet but she could feel the proudness oozing out of their spirits.
Kyoko gave the mirror one last glance and then quickly gathered her stuff and dressed in her school's uniform.
When everything was in order, she joined Taisho and Okami-san for a light breakfast. She didn't notice the surprised glances they threw her when she helped putting the dishes away.
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The class was almost empty when she arrived, and she exhaled in relief when Mimori made a no-show. The classes almost turned into private tutoring and Kyoko made headway with her work. She finished around noon and Kyoko returned to the Darumaya and helped with the last customers from lunch before digging into her books again.
She barely sat down before her phone vibrated with a notice about a message.
From: Ren
I hope you had a good time in school. I finish about eight tonight and won't be needed before lunch tomorrow.
Kyoko smiled at the stiff message before she typed back. Her little tease in the morning seemed to still affect him. A sense of power filled her body as she realized she had evolved a lot since their first meeting. She could influence Tsuruga Ren both as Setsuka and now as herself. The thought put a smirk on her lips.
From: Kyoko
Good. I will pick up some groceries and wait for your call. If that is alright with you?
Kyoko added a pleading smiley but erased the winking one that Natsu had hoped to slip past her proofreading. She didn't have to wait long for a reply.
From: Ren
Of course. I will call you as soon as I'm finished. I'm needed on set soon.
From: Kyoko
Work hard! Talk to you later.
Kyoko put her phone down on the table with a smile. Something had changed between them. Her slumber party had started a change in their relationship and Julie had made something happen to Kyoko. She couldn't put her finger on it yet, but her steps were lighter and her heart soared.
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Shopping had gone without a hitch and she had found both food and a nice outfit for her meeting with Julie the day after.
Kyoko had packed her bags and bought everything she needed for a quick but nutritious meal. She wouldn't miss a chance to feed him something good as they had an early evening for a change.
She quickly spoke to the Okami-san before heading out to wait.
She spotted the car as it turned down the street and waved his way. She had a moment to catch the slightly worried expression on his brow before he laid eyes on her. The frown melted when their eyes met, and Ren quickly parked the car before getting out to help her with her bags.
"Good evening Kyoko." Ren said with a slight tension in his smile as he gripped all but one of her bags.
"Good evening, Ren." She lifted the remaining one and hurried to the backseat to open the door for him. It took a moment before she realized that he had stopped in his tracks. She turned towards him and found him staring at her.
"Ren?" She asked with a slight frown as she couldn't recognize the expression on his face.
"Natsu?" He asked back and Kyoko stared at him with surprise.
"What? No, I'm Kyoko. Are you alright, Ren?" She asked and Ren clenched his eyes closed and then opened them again. Whatever he tried to accomplish with that move didn't seem to work as he still stared at her.
"Yeah." Ren's face set into a determined one and he quickly moved to unload his cargo into the back of the car.
Kyoko didn't push it as her antennas stayed slumbering. Whatever it was on his mind didn't seem to be a negative thought.
She climbed into the car and Ren took the driver's seat. They headed for his apartment, but Kyoko couldn't help but notice that he seemed to slip her glances every chance he had.
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It was a shock to him, and it took a while to figure out what 'IT' was. Something in Kyoko's way of moving had changed during the day and the half since he saw her.
It was subtle but every little change he noticed made his heart twist in joy.
He couldn't help but pull it apart like a puzzle when he watched her move around the kitchen.
It was small things. Like her back was always straight but she tilted her hips slightly and her feet weren't planted next to each other like before. She also tilted her neck slightly and her hands didn't fold in front of her anymore.
He found the differences, but he had no idea what to think of them. One part of him was happy that she no longer looked like a girl from a ryokan. But another part of him was getting desperate as he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Every tilt of her hips and every turn of her neck called to him and seemed to find a direct response in his gut.
"Ren!" Kyoko's voice suddenly cut through his thoughts and he realized she had probably called for him before.
"Yes?"
"Are you sure you are alright?" Kyoko was standing in front of him with a ladle in her hand. His mind found another change as her grip of it was slightly different. She didn't hold it like an extension of her own arm but as a beautiful tool. Ren swallowed some saliva. 'Her hands are beautiful. Why haven't I noticed it before?'
"Ren!?" Kyoko pulled him out of his thoughts again and he saw the deep worry on her brow.
"I'm sorry." Ren felt like blushing and by Kyoko's suddenly widening eyes, he probably did.
"Do you want to ask me something difficult?" Kyoko asked and he couldn't blame her for guessing that to be his predicament. Ren hadn't planned to ask her about it as it would mean that he confessed to observing her, however he couldn't continue like he had. So, he nodded.
"I couldn't help but notice that you move differently. I tried to think of why as I didn't see any of it when we last met." Ren asked and saw the heat on his face mirrored onto her.
"Ohh." Kyoko said and lowered her glance. Another difference. She looked to the side rather than straight down. The action showed off her beautiful neck and Ren swallowed again. "A lot happened yesterday." She said and smiled a bit.
Ren frowned but suddenly realized why he hadn't felt that the change in Kyoko was alien to him. He recognized it.
"Mom." He said as an epiphany and Kyoko nodded.
"She gave me a task." Ren listened when Kyoko told him about the Love-me task Julie had given her and the secret mission Verdani had lured her into. She hadn't told him about it the other night as she had been fully focused on talking about her afternoon in town with their Mom.
Ren nodded and smiled at her story while Kyoko put the last finishing touches on their food.
Now he understood her change. However, it didn't change what it did to him. Ren folded his arms in front of him to stop them from reaching out for her. Never had the need been provoked that many times in a row before.
'And the night just started.' Ren groaned mentally. 'I'm in deep trouble.'
He helped her carry the food to the table and he tore away his eyes from her by pure willpower.
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Kyoko exhaled when Ren finally admitted why he had acted so tense since they met for the evening. The heat still burned her face when she thought he found her strange, but he didn't look opposed to her change. She hadn't noticed much difference herself but credited it to Ren's actor's spirit.
'He observes everything around him for reference, of course he would notice even the slightest change.' A sense of pride filled her heart and she smiled towards the man in front of her. She didn't think it possible, but she respected the actor even more than before.
Her story about Julie and Verdani was finished when they began eating and Kyoko pulled out the subject she aimed to ask him about.
"Something else happened at the shoot yesterday." Kyoko said with a fond smile on her face. It still baffled her but that's why she needed to talk about it.
"Something good?" Ren asked between bites when he saw her smile.
"The make-up team recognized me and asked for autographs." Kyoko nodded and met his eyes to let him know how surprised she was over that fact. Ren chuckled when he saw her expression.
"It was only a matter of time." Ren said and Kyoko nodded.
"Yes, but that's not all." Kyoko felt the feeling of power rush into her body. "They were American and German."
"Ohh." Ren's eyes widened and Kyoko smiled when she saw that he mirrored her surprise. "Tell me what happened."
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Kyoko told him about Mike and Jim and the other beauticians and how they knew her. He chuckled a bit when she got dreamy eyes about her wonderful new nickname.
When she finished, he suddenly widened his eyes a bit.
"Come with me." He said as they had finished eating just moments before.
Kyoko got up and followed him into the living room where he pulled out a laptop and placed it onto the table.
Kyoko stayed silent as he powered it on and began to type almost immediately.
"#TrueFairy is trending on place 612." Ren said and Kyoko frowned as his words made no sense to her. Ren smiled and typed some more.
"#TsurugaRen is only at place 757." He typed once more. "#FuwaSho is in place 801."
"I don't know what that means." Kyoko confessed and Ren's smile turned even brighter.
"It means that more people are talking about you online than both me and Fuwa."
Ren said with a glint in his eyes and Kyoko tried to process what it meant.
"In Japan?" She asked and Ren's smile turned even brighter.
"In the world."
Kyoko gasped and stared at the screen with unseeing eyes. That didn't sound like just a couple of beauticians.
"Do you know what this means?" Ren asked and Kyoko slowly shook her head. "You got your revenge on Fuwa."
"Oh." Kyoko stared at the numbers again and found that she felt…
Nothing. It had taken her only one and a half years to reach this point. It had happened in a slightly different way than she had expected but it was a result of her hard work. Make-up and her features might be a part of it, but she knew that no one would have been convinced without the characters she expressed behind the paint.
She had confidence in her acting and knew how well she could change herself with it.
"I thought you would be happier." Ren asked curiously as he pulled her out of her thoughts. Kyoko hummed and then shrugged.
"That's not my goal anymore." She said with a smile and leaned back against the sofa beside him. She could feel his eyes on her again, but he could look all he wanted. There was no lie in what she said.
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"That's not my goal anymore." Ren could only stare at her when she said the words. She had told him that she had another goal during her time as his temporary manager, but he knew what had pushed her into the business from the start.
He had thought to search the numbers when a tiny part of him caught the detail in her story. Mike had said "a PV" not "Fuwa Sho's PV" and that small part of him wanted to take the chance to erase a part of the singer out of her heart.
He had underestimated her growth. He had watched her every movement when he had told her his conclusion, but he hadn't found anything. Neither god nor bad.
Ren couldn't help his chuckle. 'How many worries have I carried in my heart? It gets lighter and lighter for everything she gives me. I'm almost afraid it will float away one day when I don't notice.'
"What?" Kyoko asked teasingly as she seemed to notice his heartfelt laugh.
"I'm just happy." Ren said and Kyoko lifted her eyebrows.
"Why?"
"I never wanted you to spend time thinking about him and your revenge. It has bothered me, but you have already moved on without my notice. That makes me happy."
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Kyoko felt her mind melt a bit with his confession. Her heart throbbed when she heard that he had worried about her and felt happy with her heart's growth.
"I told you in Guam. I can't hate him anymore as it was his actions that brought me where I am today. I know he didn't aim for it to happen like this, but I no longer care. I have too much happiness in my life that I never would have touched upon if he didn't break my bubble. It's because he is like he is that I met you for the first time in Kyoto and was able to meet you again in Tokyo." Kyoko said and only found happiness in her heart. When she met Ren's gaze, she saw the same expression on his face.
"It feels like I should thank him then." Ren chuckled and reached out to pull a strand of hair out of her face. She leaned slightly into his touch and then snorted.
"Don't bother. Either it would pass completely into one ear and out the other, or he would be so smitten with your glamor that you would gain the most obnoxious fan on the planet." Kyoko sneered and Ren laughed even more. They soaked into the comfort for a moment before Kyoko turned and closed the tab with Shotaro's result on the laptop.
"Ren." Kyoko said his name to pull his focus as he once again tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "This is actually what I wanted to see you about." Kyoko nodded towards the computer when she saw that she had his focus again.
"Oh, how so?" He asked and moved a bit closer to her to see the screen better. Kyoko shivered slightly when his thigh pressed against her but then relaxed when his heat transferred to her body.
"I was completely stunned when Mike told me about this, and I didn't know how to react. I know how to handle the media to some extent, but I have no idea how to handle fans." Ren nodded and put his chin in his hand like to think for a moment.
"It's not an easy thing to perfect and every talent has their own way to do so. However, I can tell you some things to avoid and how to handle the extreme." Ren said and Kyoko nodded.
"It would help a lot."
"Okay. How did you feel when the beauticians recognized you?" Ren asked and turned his head her way again.
"Surprised, but happy."
"Did you feel loved?" Ren asked and threw her for a loop. He seemed serious so she took a moment to think about it.
"A bit." She settled with.
"Do you want them to still feel love for you after they meet you?" Kyoko wondered where his questions went but decided to answer honestly.
"Yes."
"Good. The important part is to find a safe type of love to give them. Say, if you meet a group of people that are your fans. You have to act in a way that makes everyone feel included but that no one is too exalted."
"How?" Kyoko asked and Ren grinned.
"You have to go into it like if you visited a daycare." Ren chuckled and Kyoko's eyes widened.
"A daycare?"
"Yes. It's the simplest analogy I have. There are some kids that run up to you and demand your attention directly and there are shyer ones. There are violent ones and children that don't know how to handle their feelings. If your goal is to make everyone feel included, you need to act accordingly. You must gently reject the children that demand your full attention and show the quieter ones that they are seen. You must show the violent ones that their behavior isn't appropriate, and you have to calm the ones that have too many emotions. We all know how to handle children to some extent and it's not much different from handling fans." Ren smiled.
"It feels wrong to see them as children."
"Why? Children are honest and open. They move on one track and have trouble seeing the results of their acts. Do you remember when we were surrounded by fans when you were my temporary manager?"
"Yes. It was scary."
"Yes. Because all their focus was on one track; to get my attention. They didn't realize that they could get hurt by pushing that hard against each other or that they could hurt me. I bet no one knew what to do if they actually reached me."
Kyoko tilted her head and put a finger on her chin.
"I don't remember how you acted then." She said and Ren smiled.
"I protected you. That was my first priority, and my second one was to not encourage their behavior. I didn't write any autographs or meet anyone's eyes. I smiled to not push them away but no more."
"I see." Kyoko pounded over his words for a moment and then sighed. Ren smiled when it happened and gestured towards the computer.
"Let's practice." He said and pushed a button on the open tab.
"How?" 'Ad lid? Will Ren act like my fan? I don't think my heart will handle that!'
"Meeting fans is not only in person nowadays. Many reaches out online. Some talents spend a lot of time answering their messages. We can practice by figuring out how we would answer." Ren said and the page loaded several hundreds of posts from different social media with the hashtag "Tsuruga Ren".
Kyoko leaned forward and read the one on top.
"#TsurugaRen is sooo hot. I just want to eat him up!" She read out loud and Ren chuckled.
"Well thank you, but I wouldn't recommend eating me. I probably taste like sunscreen, hair gel and poorly seasoned chicken." Ren said with a smile towards her and Kyoko put a hand over her mouth to not spray him when she couldn't hold back her laugh.
"Would you write that?"
"Why not? I thank her but gently rejects her offer without making fun of her but rather myself. I also promote sunscreen which isn't bad." Ren smiled and Kyoko lifted her eyes in surprise when she saw the humorous way he had put his teachings into practice.
"Next one." Ren nodded towards the screen and Kyoko lowered her hand again. She had to snap it back into place when she read the next words on the screen.
"I hope that #TsurugaRen was serious about that adorable sheep shaped pillow. Could you imagine how cute that would be?" Kyoko laughed again at the coincidence. She also was eager to hear his reply as she still felt a bit embarrassed about the gift.
"How would you answer that?" Kyoko asked and Ren smiled.
"Honestly. This fan is probably one of the shy ones. She isn't aggressive or intimidating in this post. I would encourage her a bit to hint to her that it's a behavior that I can work with." Ren said and smiled. "For example; His name is Fluffy and is a trusted buddy that always brings his best effort to his task. I will send him your wishes as I'm sure he would pride himself in making me cute." Ren said and Kyoko bit her lip as her cheeks burned red.
"I see. You confirm the statement by telling her that the pillow even has a name. And you encourage her by telling her that you would send the wishes on and therefore making an effort."
"Yes. I'm also aiming for encouraging her statement that I'm cute. Every newspaper brands me as a sex-object and I would take my chance to point out that men also can like to be called cute." Ren said and Kyoko had to fight her heart from exploding. "That's why I was so happy that the first thing you told me during the audition for Kurosaki's drama was beautiful. Even if it was an act, it made me happy." Ren added and Kyoko gave up on her heart. It seemed to want to break free from her ribcage with how much it was jumping.
"I was honest." Kyoko mumbled but considering the wide smile Ren sent her way, he heard her.
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Ren was sure he floated a few centimeters off ground by how happy her little sentence made him. That hope that had begun to form in anticipation of their drama grew even bigger.
They moved on after a while and laughed a lot at the different posts they read. They happened on some hate too and Ren took his time to explain how to handle it. Kyoko was an eager student and learned quickly. She soon began to form her own replies and Ren found few things to correct when she did.
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"Do you feel like you could handle it somewhat now?" Ren asked and Kyoko nodded.
"I feel a lot better. I won't be perfect but I'm not clueless anymore." Kyoko said and Ren smiled and leaned back into the sofa.
"Only a few people would recognize you at first and it will be easier to handle. You will have time to practice with them before the masses assemble." Ren carded a hand through his hair.
"I guess." Kyoko hummed.
"I have a question then. Do you know any self-defense?" Ren felt his heart tremble as he spoke. He hoped she never would need to protect herself, but he knew the business too well and it was better for her to know than regret not knowing when she needed it.
"Not more than basic stuff. Like twist your arm if it is grabbed until you twist theirs. I used that on Murasame. I also have some ninja training, it's flashy moves but I should be able to dodge some things aimed for me."
"Okay. Good." Ren felt a pang of guilt as he could guess when she had used that move on Murasame. It should have been the day he ran out on her in Guam.
"You think I should learn some more?"
"It won't hurt. Some fans take it to the extreme. And with a lot of emotions there is also hate. Even if you are perfect, you will create some hate." Ren said with a sad smile and Kyoko nodded.
"I understand. It won't hurt to learn even more." He could see her frown and lightly grip the tip of her chin like she was deep in thought. His heart almost stopped when he saw her come to some sort of conclusion and then how she turned towards him. "So, would you mind giving a newbie some hints?" Kyoko smiled his way but he could only feel his heart skip another beat.
"I might not be the best teacher for you." Ren slowly said while he fought with two different camps inside of him. One very much wanted to hold her body to his but the saner part of him knew that it would be very difficult to keep his emotions under the lid if they did.
"Why?" Kyoko tilted her head to the side and Ren's sane side gained ground as the slight tilt of her neck almost set him off.
"I'm very tall, trained in several martial arts and would never be able to act like I would hurt you."
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Kyoko glanced at Ren and couldn't help but notice how nervous her little request made him. She saw him clench his fists and then opened them to rub his palms against his thighs. Natsu sparked to life inside of her and Mary-Ann joined with a smirk. She might not have grudge antennas for every emotion Ren emitted but she knew what way his emotions leaned when those two characters began to stir in her mind.
Kyoko shifted closer to test her theory and was rewarded immediately when she saw him swallow hard.
"So, you would never really hurt me, but you know how to fight. And if I learn to handle your big…. body, I should be able to hold my ground against everyone else, right?" Kyoko asked with a gentle tone and a slight smirk on her lips. Ren's mouth slipped open and she heard him gasp gently. His pupils grew wider and his eyes locked onto her lips. She gave it another test and bit her lower lip gently and she heard him exhale shakingly. She silently waited for his answer while Natsu soaked in the heated gaze he gave her. It was an emperor-like ember and Kyoko pushed down the part of her that wanted to run and hide and instead used the heat to temper her heart. She had recently learned that she was beautiful and without the filter of doubt about her looks, she let herself translate his expression.
'He sees me as a woman to at least some level.' Kyoko felt the thought pierce her heart like an arrow and she couldn't keep her cool face on any longer. She felt the fire-like blush burn on her cheeks and she bit her lip as she waited for his answer. She saw him swallow once and clench his hands again.
"I'm sorry." Ren finally said and cleared his throat when the words came out a bit weak. "I don't think I can do it." Ren said and Kyoko felt herself relax a bit. She had tensed up unconsciously but almost felt relieved when he rejected the proposal.
"It's okay. I rely on you already for too many things." Kyoko smiled and hoped he would relax but her words almost seemed to make it worse.
"I want to help you, Kyoko. But it would be too hard for me." He tried to explain and she saw him pull in a long breath like to gather strength. She began to regret asking him as she saw how he fought with his words.
"You don't have to explain it to me, Ren." She smiled but stopped when he shook his head.
"Kyoko. I want to help you. But you need to understand something. I'm a man. And you are an exceptionally beautiful woman. I don't trust myself enough around you to wrestle with you alone in my apartment. I don't want to scare you but it's the honest truth." Ren said and he seemed to fold into himself a bit to make himself smaller and she realized he had fear in his eyes when he scanned her face for her reaction. She had some trouble figuring out her own feelings stirred by his words as her heart felt both hope when she got confirmation that he indeed saw her as a woman and worry about her own state of mind when she got extremely curious what really would happen if they "wrestled".
'Stop the man's torture.' Mary Ann giggled when she realized that Kyoko hadn't answered in a full minute.
'What would happen?' Kyoko couldn't help asking the married woman in her mind.
'I guess if you mix his reaction when you tried on lingerie and the reaction he had to the movie the other day you might get a clue about the beginning.' Natsu smirked in her head instead and Kyoko bit her lip to stop her from gasping. Her little move didn't go unnoticed and she saw Ren shy back even further until their legs no longer touched. She quickly put her hand on his thigh and gave him a bright but blushing smile to reassure him.
"I take that as a compliment. Thank you for telling me." Kyoko channeled a bit of Mary-Ann to deliver her words confidently and was rewarded when she felt Ren slowly relax again. His smile returned and after checking her face again for other emotions he even got a burning glint in his eyes.
"Thank you." The relief was evident in his voice and she leaned back against the backrest and fitted her arm along his side. She pulled the laptop with her and put it in her knee.
"Maybe there are videos of self-defense we could watch instead?" Kyoko asked and Ren immediately relaxed completely and leaned in closer.
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Ren found himself exhaling in relief every time his mind circled their earlier conversation. Her long silence after his confession had almost made him flee or beg for forgiveness but she had taken it just the right way.
'A compliment?' He couldn't help but marvel over her response and he exhaled again. Ren glanced at the video playing and then on the girl by his side.
'Not a girl, but a woman.' His mind corrected him. During the last few weeks, she had transformed herself so completely that he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen her take every step forward by his side.
He would never be able to describe her as a high school girl again. It was still true, but she didn't fit any of the typical characteristics he would associate with that title other than her age.
He knew that if he had told her the truth before Guam, she would have called him a playboy out loud and he wouldn't have been able to blink before she would have escaped the apartment.
Kyoko adjusted her position by folding her legs to her side and she leaned heavily into his body. He had put his arm on the backrest before and he saw her cozy herself against his chest.
The divine smile grew on his lips as he soaked in the happy feeling. It had barely been a week since he was convinced she would never have a "break" with him as herself. God, he loved how wrong he was.
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Kyoko flipped through video after video and soon found something she could use without much training. She carefully watched the instructor of some Russian martial art explain clever tricks to get out of different holds. His explanation was easy and informative, and she found the logic behind his moves. She saw him explain the different joints in a hand that was weak points and she barely registered her action when she gripped Ren's hand and began to examine it while the instructor spoke. She tried the different grips on his fingers without putting any real pressure on them and he stayed relaxed enough for her to experiment.
A distant wailing from the dark parts of her brain soon began to pull her focus. She barely recognized the calls for help from her grudges until their voices unified and their echoing cries finally found her ears. Kyoko felt her concentration slipping against her will, but she couldn't ignore her sisters in arms forever. She finally looked up to her side and found the cause for their distress close to her face.
Ren's evolved heavenly smile lit up the room like a sun and Kyoko felt the rays burn through her optic nerve and lit a fire that threatened to melt her insides. Mary-Ann chuckled happily from inside her mind and gripped the neckline of Kyoko's retreating soul before it could hide in the deep recesses of her brain.
'Come on. Don't let the poor man doubt his happiness again. Smile back at him.' She soaked in the divine rays and then chucked Kyoko back in front. A small blush climbed Kyoko's cheeks and Mary-Ann stepped closer to the surface and pulled the corners of her mouth upwards until Kyoko got the drift and finished the move by herself.
Kyoko felt like a bud receiving sunlight in the spring and when the sun continued to shine, she began to bloom. A bubbling giggle escaped her lips before she reached up and pressed her lips softly against his cheek. She inhaled his perfect scent and then relaxed until she met his gaze again. She saw the surprised lift of his eyebrows, but the divine smile still sent its rays her way. The giggle spilled over her lips again before she returned her focus forward once more and happily followed the video with Ren's warm hand as her willing subject.
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Kyoko walked out on a beautiful beach and she marveled over the deep blue water that stretched out in front of her. She stopped just outside the tree line to take in the beautiful view of the sea of Guam.
"Kyoko!" A happy voice greeted her, and she turned to see a young boy wave at her from the waters.
"Kuon!" She waved back as she recognized the beautiful blond hair even from a distance. She steered her steps towards him and soon walked past a group of people that she knew. Momoji and Mio were seated in the shadows of a black parasol and she could see Setsuka walk to them and then stretch out on a towel just outside the cover of shadow. Kyoko smiled and then nodded their way when she walked past.
She almost stumbled over Natsu sleeping on her stomach but managed to avoid stepping on her when Mary-Ann gripped her hand.
"Kyoko! Come here." The woman smiled brightly and pulled Kyoko towards a pair of beach-chairs by the edge of the water. Mary-Ann didn't leave her much choice when she pulled her down to sit and then followed into her own chair.
"Isn't it beautiful?" She asked and Kyoko followed her gaze towards the sun. She averted her eyes when the light made white spots dance over her retina.
"Don't look directly into the sun." Kyoko warned her but the married woman continued to gaze towards it without a wrinkle on her face.
Mary-Ann gripped her hand hard and relaxed into her chair. Kyoko tried to do the same, but it was angled directly towards the sun and she had to turn away as the heat and light began to make her uncomfortable.
"Mary-Ann." Kyoko tried to release her hand but the woman held her firmly in place. Kyoko sighed and looked around her again. A girl clad in a school uniform walked in front of her and Kyoko smiled when the girl bowed towards her.
"B-ko!" She greeted and the girl nodded before continuing down the shore. Kyoko tried to find a comfortable position, but the temperature soon climbed and sweat began to roll down her temples.
"It's a visualization technique." Kuon called to her side and she turned her head to see the boy give her two thumbs up in encouragement. Kyoko frowned slightly and she could almost feel the glare from Setsuka when she nodded and once again tried to make herself a ruler of her own body. Kyoko closed her eyes and tried to will her mind to accept the heat. The effect was immediate, and the stifling air turned into a cool ocean breeze. Kyoko inhaled the scent and cozied down further into her chair. Everything suddenly felt perfect and she opened her eyes again.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Mary-Ann asked again and Kyoko focused her eyes forward. She saw the bright rays of light, but they didn't hurt her anymore. She could look for as long as she wanted, and she could only agree. It was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. She soaked for hours in the warm embrace of the gentle rays.
Kyoko never wanted to let the feeling go but soon caught something out of the corner of her eye and glanced that way. She saw a second sun set on the horizon and she turned her eyes forward again in wonder. The bright sun in front of her moved slightly and she gasped in marvel.
"Kyoko." The light greeted her and she giggled softly when she recognized the voice.
"Ren." Kyoko greeted back and Ren's divine smile lit up her universe even stronger than before.
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"Kyoko." The gentle voice made the smile grow on her lips and she relaxed completely.
"Ren." She smiled and a ray of light caressed her face.
"Good morning." Ren said and she realized to her surprise that her eyelids were closed. Reality soon caught up with her and she giggled as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Good morning." She greeted and saw not a beach but the walls of Ren's guestroom and the man himself seated on the edge of her bed. She took a moment to trace the divine smile on his lips with her gaze and then smiled back.
"Breakfast is ready." Ren said and her mind needed a moment to process it before she recognized the meaning behind his words.
"What?" Kyoko blinked and then snapped her head towards the clock on the nightstand. It showed two minutes past eight and she exhaled in relief.
"Breakfast is ready." Ren repeated and Kyoko tilted her head in wonder. She bit back every question that threatened to spill over her lips and instead nodded and lifted her cover to climb out.
Ren's smile only grew warmer when he stood up so she could follow. Kyoko adjusted the neckline of her borrowed shirt and followed the man outside.
"Did you sleep well?" Ren asked and Kyoko wanted to laugh.
"I dreamt about Guam." She said instead and Ren nodded.
"I have dreamt a lot about Guam these days. Was it a good dream? Mine always are." Ren said and Kyoko nodded. It had been a useful dream at least. She doubted she would have managed waking up to the divine smile without transforming into a puddle, if not her dream had tempered her.
"Have you slept well?" She returned his question and he smirked quickly before nodding.
"I woke up fully rested about an hour ago. I thought I would take a shot at making breakfast but burned everything. The delivery just arrived, and I thought I would wake you up before it turned cold." Ren admitted and Kyoko exhaled in relief, she had only tasted Ren's cooking once and she had lost a year of her life trying to digest the Maui-rice.
She saw miso-soup, a few rolls of tamagoyaki and some fruit plated on the kitchen table.
"I aimed for a light meal as you are about to eat with mom soon." He said and sat down while gesturing for her to sit on the spot that unconsciously had turned into hers.
"Thank you, Ren." She smiled when she remembered her plans for the day. She pulled out the phone she had brought from the nightstand but there were no messages yet.
"She is still asleep." Ren winked knowingly and Kyoko nodded and put the phone on the counter behind her.
"I believe you. When are you due for work?" Kyoko asked and Ren got a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"I had an appointment at lunch, but I just received words that it had to be postponed to another day. I'm free to about 15." Ren said and gestured for her to begin eating.
"That's unusual for you, Ren. What will you do to pass time?" Kyoko teased and Ren's smile grew wider.
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Kyoko was dressed in a pale pink dress and white flats. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and glanced down the street both ways. She didn't have to wait for long when a black car drove up to the curb and a woman dressed in a yellow skirt and white blouse jumped out of it before it even came to a full stop.
"Daughter!" Julie laughed happily when she pulled the girl into a tight embrace.
"Mom." Kyoko beamed and returned the gesture. Julie released the tension to be able to look at her from top to toe.
"You look beautiful." Julie grinned and took the girl's hand and made her slowly spin a full 360.
"Thank you." Kyoko stopped when she was facing her again but still held her hand.
"Where are we?" Julie glanced around but couldn't see any place fitting for a meal and Kyoko chuckled.
"I have a gift for you. And it includes brunch too if you are fine with eating my cooking." Kyoko asked but didn't wait for an answer but moved towards the apartment complex behind her.
"Of course." Julie said intrigued and followed the girl without complaint. Kyoko smiled at the trust she was given and pulled her adopted mom through the reception and towards the elevator.
They soon arrived on the right floor and Kyoko moved towards one of the few doors and entered the pin.
"Who lives here?" Julie asked and Kyoko caught a faint tremble in her hand. She could easily see the hope on her mom's face, and she pulled the woman inside and closed the door.
"Kuon, we are here!" Kyoko called out into the apartment and Julie almost jumped a foot high. She gripped Kyoko's hand with both of her own and stared at the girl with so much held back excitement and fear that Kyoko couldn't help but smile.
"He asked if he could join and I didn't think you would mind." Kyoko grinned and glanced to the side as Mary-Ann began to hum in delight in her head as she bathed in the divine rays.
"Mother." Kuon's smile turned a bit nervous as he addressed the trembling woman by Kyoko's side.
Julie slowly turned her head towards the voice and Kyoko felt the almost crushing force around her hand relax.
"Oh Kuon." Julie cried and the woman threw herself around his neck while thick tears rolled down her cheeks. Kuon gathered the woman in his arms and hugged her tightly to him.
Kyoko could feel her own tears paint rivers over her cheeks as she watched the moving scene in front of her. Julie was reduced to a crying mess against Ren's chest and he collected himself before her even if Kyoko could see that his green eyes were moist and a single tear had escaped down his cheeks. Ren lifted his gaze towards Kyoko and they both smiled warmly when their eyes met. Ren reached out his hand towards Kyoko and she stepped forward and squeezed it tightly in her own.
Julie took over twenty minutes to calm down somewhat as she began crying every time she caught sight of Kuon's green eyes and gentle smile. They carefully moved her into the kitchen and Kyoko began to pull the finishing touches on their food.
She had let Ren get away with just eating some fruit for their first breakfast as she knew he would be half dead if he had to eat two meals that close in time. She compensated with twice the effort in making the brunch both balanced and nutritious.
Ren sat down on a chair by the kitchen counter that allowed him to hug his mother close to him but also keep Kyoko company. They didn't speak at first, but Kyoko couldn't help herself when his green eyes sent lightning through her mind every time she caught sight of them.
"I have missed your real eye color." She couldn't help but say and Ren smiled her way.
"I hope it won't be too long before I can stop wearing contacts." He said and Julie sobbed a bit more at his chest. Kyoko felt a pang of jealousy when she saw Julie's raw emotions that spoke of how much she had missed her son. Her own mother had frowned deeper than ever when they had met for the first time in years. Kyoko lifted her gaze towards Ren and examined his face closer. Guilt, happiness, shame and excitement danced over his features without stopping.
Kyoko plated the last dish and put it on the table. She washed her hands and took off her apron.
"Mother. The food is ready." Kuon said and stroked the blond hair softly. Julie seemed to pull a few deep breaths and finally relaxed.
"Excuse me for a moment. Where is your bathroom?" Julie asked and Ren pointed down the hallway.
"First door to your left." Ren smiled but Julie kept her head down and hurried away.
"Is Mom alright?" Kyoko asked Ren when Julie passed outside hearing distance.
"She will be fine. Our mother is a woman with a lot of emotions. She needs to discharge them sometimes and will bounce right back when it's done." Ren smiled as he watched her turn left down the hallway and out of sight.
"And how are you, Ren?" Kyoko asked as they moved to sit by the table. They sat in their usual seats opposite each other.
"Mostly happy." He confessed and his smile turned a bit complicated. "I'm troubled about the pain I have caused her, but I honestly can't think of how I could have done it differently. I was in a really bad place back then. I hope she sees how different I have become and finds that it has been worth it." Kyoko reached forward and gripped his hand to offer her comfort. He squeezed it slightly in return.
Julie joined them after a few minutes and Kyoko marveled when she couldn't find a trace of tears or swollen eyes on her.
"It looks delicious Kyoko." She said and beamed a smile from Kuon to her.
"Kyoko's cooking is always amazing." Ren smiled and the girl in question couldn't help her blush. The conversation was stumbling for a while but everyone soon found the right rhythm and they soon laughed and enjoyed each other's company fully.
Kyoko got to see another side of Ren that she hadn't seen before. He showed clearer expressions on his face and she didn't need her antennas to figure them out. He looked happy when he was happy and embarrassed when he was due. She couldn't help but enjoy it fully and loved her mom even more for bringing it out of him.
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Ren felt his head buzz with activity and he almost felt dizzy. It had been some time since he had merged with Kuon but it seemed that the edges still had been ruff. Kuon had been sleeping for over five years and Ren was shaped to function without parental love. The two pieces had been too mismatched in a few areas but they all simultaneously began to blur. Kuon adopted the 5 years of experience Ren had gathered and Kuon taught the man how to feel with every fiber of his body and every part of his mind.
Ren smiled when Cain formed a separate part of his brain and became a character for real. He could also faintly sense that Mary-Ann's husband, Justin, had begun to create a faint outline.
Ren turned towards the two women laughing by his side and the deep dark places of his and Kuon's mind was washed over by divine light. It didn't erase anything, but it made everything lit up from a different angle and he could see them for what they really were. Every obstacle in his path had been crucial to take him to where he was today.
He could see whips of the people he had met that had helped him down the right path but one of them was clearer than the others. Ren's heart trembled as he walked forward and fell into pace beside Rick's ghost.
Kuon closed his eyes for a moment and then faced his friend for the first time since the incident.
'Rick. I'm so sorry.' Kuon poured every feeling in his heart into the words and the ghost stopped and turned to face him.
'Sorry for what? I know you never wanted me dead, and you sure have punished yourself way beyond reason since then.' Rick smiled towards him and Kuon couldn't help but smile sadly.
'I know you died because of me.'
'I died because I didn't learn to look both ways when crossing a road.' Rick snorted and Kuon gave him a stern glance. 'Oh right. You want a serious conversation. Way to go forcing an innocent ghost to torment you against their will.' Rick sighed and shook his shoulders and faked a frown on his face. 'Keep going. I'm ready.'
'Can't I even imagine you to hate me now?' Kuon sighed and gave the ghost a criticizing glare.
'Probably not. As you are too sane at the moment to forget my character.' Rick tried to keep the frown up but his mouth was curling enough to reveal him.
'Still, I'm sorry for your death.' Kuon got down on his knees and bowed until his head touched the ground. He could hear a loud sigh from the ghost and he lifted his head again. Rick stared down on him with a complicated frown.
'Okay, let's see. To atone for your sin, I demand you to grief for 5 years, ops already done.' Kuon couldn't help his eye from twitching from the tone the ghost was using. It sounded too faked to ignore. 'Humm… Oh I know! I demand you to work a job that brings people happiness. Fuck. You are doing that too right?' Rick's frown had deepened so much Kuon couldn't help but smile against his will.
'I know! To atone for your sin, from now on, every time you eat more than a kid portion of a meal, you will feel stuffed! That's almost a curse you know! Happy now?' Rick looked pleased with himself and Kuon couldn't help but to laugh.
'Could you please stop teasing me about my food-habits?' Kuon asked and Rick rolled his eyes.
'You sure make haunting a person into an unfulfilling duty. I only have one more atonement to suggest, if you can't do this one, I'm out of ideas.' Rick crossed his arms and challenged Kuon with his gaze.
'I'm all ears.'
'You have to live a fulfilling life full of love.' Rick said and held up a hand to stop Kuon's protest. 'You need to love your work, your friends and your family. You need to find an amazing woman that puts up with you and you need to have children that you will love to death. And you will tell them about Uncle Rick and tell them about how amazingly handsome I was and how much trouble I got you into. That way, I will live on with you in the best way.' Rick said and looked so pleased with himself that Kuon laughed.
He knew it was a figure of his imagination, but it felt real. He glanced at the ghost again and saw him wait patiently for his answer. Kuon sighed and the smile turned brighter, divine rays filled the previously dark space of his mind and he nodded.
'I accept. I will do my best to fulfill your wish.'
'Finally!' Rick relaxed his arms and when the divine smile bloomed even further the ghost allowed it to carry him away.
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"Kuon?" His mother called for his attention and he opened his eyes to meet their glances.
"Yes?" He questioned and saw that both Julie and Kyoko grinned widely his way.
"What are you thinking about so deeply? I called for you several times but you just smiled the whole time." Julie didn't sound offended in the slightest and Ren chuckled.
"I made a deal with a ghost." Kuon grinned and then began to laugh at their surprised faces. "By the way mom, does Father know you are here?" Kuon changed the topic and his mother accepted it without more than a quick frown.
"He knows I'm in Tokyo and that I have met Kyoko here." She answered and grabbed Kyoko's hand and smiled. "Verdani and the Boss asked me to come when he was eavesdropping and he was more than thrilled about the plan."
"The plan? Oh, for Kyoko's portfolio?" Kuon remembered their mission Kyoko had talked about the evening before.
"Yes. Your father wanted to join too but he was here recently and poor Mike lost almost ten pounds trying to shift his schedule that time. We couldn't do it to him again so soon." Julie sighed and Ren nodded.
"Mike is my father's manager." He explained toward Kyoko and she nodded in understanding. "He has been with the family for almost 20 years I believe?"
"Yes. We hired him when you turned two. So almost 20 years." Julie smiled and Kyoko turned to her.
"Do you have a manager, Mom?"
"No, not for the moment. Jessica was my latest but she signed a contract for a modeling agency and got her hands full. I'm looking for a replacement at the moment." Julie smirked and Kuon laughed.
"Do you remember Uncle Tiger at the happy grateful party?" Kuon asked Kyoko and she nodded.
"Father of winners, right?" Kyoko asked and Ren couldn't help the surprise on his face. "Mo… Kotonami Kanae told me about him." Ren nodded and glanced at Julie again.
"Our mother has a similar reputation. Mother of beauty, right?" He teased his mother and a slight blush climbed her face. Kyoko's eyes already told him that she was halfway into lala-land.
"It's undeserved." Julie hmphed and Ren shook his head.
"Every manager that has been assigned to my mother has been recruited within two years to other businesses within the fashion industry. Models, designers, photographers, you name it. Almost every one of them have made a name for themself after managing Mother." Kuon couldn't help his pride to show.
"They have all been so talented. I couldn't help but give them a push in the right direction." Julie smiled warmly and Kyoko was completely into lala-land by then.
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She wasn't even slightly surprised when Ren told her about how amazing Julie was. She had gotten firsthand experience of Julie's abilities during her short love-me task.
She spent the remaining morning watching them interact and saw how Julie gently pulled out Kuon's happiness and they spent almost all of the last hour laughing.
Ren and Kyoko finally had to face the day and bid goodbye to Julie with hugs and a few tears from the women. Kyoko saw Ren's eyes turn moist but he managed to hold them back in the end.
With promises to meet soon they reluctantly parted.
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