REMINDER: I don't own Skip Beat and its characters; this work is purely fictional any scenes related to real life situations are purely coincidental. XD Beta and Proof Reading credits goes to Shirahane Aikawa who offered her help to proof read this story of mine kindly read her stories here in this site as well.
"I mean we all need a second chance sometimes."
-Joel Osteen
Tsuruga Ren Side Story
Second Chances
...
They say it's wrong of him to move out of the country and venture in to the unknown when he's already living the dream of other Japanese artist strives and work so hard for. But for Ren he's doing this to protect Kyoko. He couldn't ruin things for her only starting career (if the news of them being siblings come out in public what would happen?) he doesn't care about what will happen to him but he's concern about Kyoko.
"Ren how was it?" Emiko asked Ren once he saw him came out of the audition room holding a thick book of script on his hand.
"I got the role…" Ren said audibly.
Emiko's face brighten at the good news, "Wow Ren congratulations!" she's very proud of Ren (and happy) it's only his audition (and take note his first try) and he got the part! "This is gonna be a big hit! You'll be acting a long side Chris Evans!" she said giddily.
Ren rolled his eyes, "Don't get so excited baka," he sighed exasperatedly as he hit Emiko's head with the script he's holding.
Emiko pouted, "Ouch that hurt!"
"Bedsides it's only a small part it's not as if I'm the lead character…"
"Hey hey guys! I'm back sorry I'm late there's a long cue on the cafeteria." Kira said joining the conversation while he enjoys eating his jalapeno.
"Can you eat normally…"it wasn't a question it's a statement Ren stared at Kira who's (clumsily eating his meal) for a famous model he has no manners when it comes to eating.
"Shut it when I'm in public I cannot do this…"
"We're in public!"
"Whatever, I still look good even if I eat like this." Kira said before taking a large bite of jalapeno and licked his fingers afterwards.
When Ren returned to his apartment after spending the day (auditioning for roles) and hanging out with his friends, Yashiro who just arrived from America was waiting for him outside with a big eye bags visible on his tired face.
He let him inside to offer him a glass of water.
"Did something happen?" Ren asked in a panicked voice, since he have been working with Yashiro for 2 years now he knows the look in his face when something serious has happened.
"Mogami-san…she got involved in a car accident and she's still in the hospital as we speak…"
Ren felt like being doused with a bucket of ice cold water his body started shaking he then hold on to the wall to steady his already trembling body.
"Kyoko…I must return to her she needs me." Ren said in a cracked voice, tears threatening to fall from his eyes anytime.
Yashiro placed his hands on top of his shoulders and said in his manager tone of voice, "I know you want nothing but to fly back to Japan and see her but Ren you just got accepted into your first movie role here, turning it down will not give you another opportunity like this in the future."
"But…I" Ren wasn't able to finish his sentence for tears already flowed from his eyes.
Ren went to a cemetery afterwards to offer prayers and give flowers to his friend who believed in him when no one did, who was always there for him when he had no one but himself in a foreign land, That friend also taught him everything he needed to know in the industry, The friend who sacrificed his own life to save him so he could live.
He kneels in front of his friend's grave "Rick I'm sorry if it took years before I could visit you. Do you know that I hate you for dying instead of me? Because if it was me who died then I wouldn't be hurting the only girl I gave my heart to."
Instead of drowning into depression Ren instead diverted his feeling of helplessness into his work by working harder than he did before. He immediately showed promise on his first acting role in Hollywood even if it was just a minor role, but being a newcomer and Asian (and Jealousy) he is again being mocked and criticized by his foreign co-workers.
Aside from acting minor roles he also he also helps in doing odd jobs for the set when his scene is not yet due.
"Hey newcomer, come help us carry the equipment to the location." A moving crew ordered Ren.
Ren carried a box of wires from the van to the storage room, while he was on the way to the storage room when a beautiful red haired lady with ocean blue eyes wearing a tight white sleeveless top, black leather bolero jacket, washed denim mini skirt and long high heeled leather boots called him.
"Excuse me but aren't you one of the actors in the movie?" Ren nods and places the box he was carrying safely inside the storage room.
"Then why are you carrying that box?" The beautiful lady inquired with interest.
Ren didn't answer and walked away, he doesn't know who the lady is and yet she's talking to him as if they've known for a long time.
"Wait my name is Shien Knowles but here in Hollywood they just call me Shien and like you I'm half Asian and I started in this industry the same way you did." She said catching up to Ren and offers her hand to shake.
"Ren." He replied shaking his hand with hers.
"Let's go hang out I'm done filming for today and your scene is due by night so we can get to know better…"
"I…" Ren don't have a time to say no when Shien attach her arm around to his dragging him away of the set.
At the bar downtown L.A
Ren found himself shaking the cherry on his drink while Shien sits beside him with vodka on her hand.
"Don't think of those losers listen at first they all tag me as a sexy star because of my figure they only change their view on me when I show them my versatility I work and work so hard to where I am right now!" Shien continued on while slamming her now empty glass over the table. She pouted then ordered another shot to the bartender who immediately gave her a refill.
"Did you just drag me here to get me to hear you complain," Ren said while sipping his pineapple juice. Shien scoffed as she settles her upper body on the table her action causing her breast to press in between. It's not hard to see why all men are attractive to sexy women Shien is a sultry and seductive woman Ren could see it too but he wasn't just interested since his heart is already belong to Kyoko.
"Well do you know how to drive Ren?" Shien chuckled as she drinks her second shot of vodka in one gulp surprising Ren if this girl is Kyoko he'd really be horrified by this scene he wouldn't let her drink like this.
"Bartender one more shot please!" Shien ordered another shot this time Ren could see her face getting red.
"She's getting drunk and she's not stopping…" Ren's protective instinct kick in intercepting Shien's hand from reaching for her fourth glass of vodka.
"That's enough," Ren said firmly as he raise the glass out of her reach.
"Aww come on Ren don't be a pooper," Shien pouted standing up to reach for her drink but Ren was just too tall for her.
"This is enough…"
"Do you know why I'm drinking?"
"What?"
"Question is are you man enough to find out?" Shien asked huskily (due to her being drunk) on Ren's ear.
"What? Hey!" Ren gasped as Shien jumps onto him (reaching for her glass of vodka) but it ended as a disaster as Ren lost his grip on the glass splashing both of their bodies with a strong scent of alcohol.
Causing for Ren and Shien to laugh at the silliness of their situation.
"Wow finally Mister Ice block laugh…" Shien pointed out.
"Oh…" Ren said realizing that he is indeed laughing.
"Well you know I've been watching you in auditions don't get the wrong idea okay?" Shien backtracked on what she say (since she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea) "Do you know why you kept getting minor roles?" she asked as she take a sip on Ren's juice.
"What do you mean?"
"It's because you don't put any feeling into the character it's like your mind is on the winds…"
"I know that…"
"Nope you don't know that…"
"Yes, you're correct…" Ren agreed on Shien's observation.
"Let me help you with that department but first drive me home here's my car keys." She said making Ren catch her key.
"Hey what's this?"
"Well from now on I'm your 'sensei' so for now you are my student you do whatever I say…" Shien winked at Ren motioning him to follow her lead.
"Hey walk properly," Ren told Shien who's wobbly while walking.
"He he…" Shien chuckled as she remove her heels now only walking barefoot.
"I didn't say you have to walk barefoot!"
"You know Ren you act like my mother stop it."
Ren twitched, "Fine if you hurt yourself don't complain,"
"I won't!"
Unknown to them someone is watching them from a far,
"What are you looking at?" The woman asked her husband.
The man look away.
"No…Nothing…"
Since the fated encounter with Shien, Ren's acting improved, Shien taught him how to properly act in a Hollywood movie on how it differs from the way he was acting in Japan and slowly Ren's roles changed from having minor roles to supporting roles.
Ren was browsing information about Kyoko's latest career achievements in his phone when Kira sat beside him. His thumbs tracing a line on Kyoko's face longingly.
"You know you always remind me to have some decency and yet here you are looking at your phone." Kira said grinning. "While waiting for your turn…"
Ren immediately closed his phone and hid it inside his pocket, "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Shien was looking for you, she said it was a surprise." Kira said wiggling his eyebrows for added effect.
"Dude Shien's hot why don't you step up the game?"
"What do you mean?" Ren asked not really getting what his friend was saying.
"You know what I mean!" Kira said insinuatingly
"Not my type." Ren stood up from his seat.
"What's your type? A Kyoko type girl…"
"Only Kyoko…" Ren said leaving Kira to go to Shien he knocked on the door to her office first before coming inside.
"There you are please take a seat."
"You called for me?"
"Yes, well you see I have a great opportunity for you." Shien said full of excitement that is evident by the twinkling in her ocean blue eyes. "A special friend of mine is producing a movie based on an international bestseller and he's looking for fresh young talents and I immediately thought of you and gave your portfolio to him." Ren turned to see that there is another person in the room, a typical tall half-Caucasian man albeit handsome Caucasian man sitting at the couch.
"Ren I'd like you to meet Yuri Killian he's a director and producer he wants you to audition for a main role on his film."
"Yeah thanks for your introduction Shien," Yuri said with a charming smile on his face.
"You're welcome!"
Yuri then turned to Ren, "The name's Yuri I'm happy to finally meet you…Shien has been telling me things about you."
"I hope all of those are good things."
"Of course it is what do you take me for?" Shien pouted suddenly feeling unappreciated.
"I'd like you to audition for the main character and now I see you you're definitely fit for the role,"
"Ah yes thank you…"
Shien sighs and moves away from her desk to take a seat opposite of Ren and placed a comforting hand on top of his knee, "Is there something that troubles you?" she asked once Yuri left the room having been called on an emergency meeting.
"Come on Ren speak up students shouldn't lie to their sensei…"
Since knowing Ren, Shien noticed two things about him that he is a man full of guarded emotions and that his smiles are fake hiding the pain in his heart.
His clenched his hands that are resting on his lap, "My life is miserable it's nothing I feel so desolate, I even caused the death of the only person who believed in me before and when light finally came into my life I became a coward and ran away from the light."
Ren doesn't usually share his feelings but Shien have become one of his trusted friends.
Shien took his hands into hers, "Sometimes running away doesn't mean you are a coward, we sometimes run to strengthen ourselves so that when we finally return nothing can break us again and whatever fate will throw on us we can conquer it."
Ren removes Shien's hands and stands up and walked towards the window looking at the horizon and said bitterly, "If only life is as easy as that, you know that only happens in movies not in reality."
"Why Ren how big is your problem to say something like that?" She asked in a raised voice how could he be sarcastic is his problem much bigger than she had before?
"My light…Kyoko…I fell in love with her…with my half-sister." He said now facing Shien.
Shien gasped after hearing Ren's confession she felt sorry for him for loving someone who is forbidden, someone you should never have feelings for except for filial love.
"You're NOT the only one who's suffering I also in love…was…" Shien corrected herself, "Was in love with my older brother…" Ren surprise by her revelation he look up to her.
Ren was accepted in the audition for the titular character in the movie Dawn, it was after he was accepted in the role he found out that Shien's special friend who is her fiancé is the main producer for the movie.
"Congratulations Ren." Shien said happily with her arm linked with her fiancé.
Ren didn't answer he was thinking that he got the job because Shien influenced her fiancé.
"Aren't you happy?" Shien asked looking worried.
"I am but you didn't have to-"Ren was cut off by Shien's fiancé.
"I know you are thinking that my dear influenced me on my decision to choose you for this movie but believe me when I tell you that I chose you for your talent not because you are Shien's friend…" Yuri said honestly.
Ren's role as the main character and movie are critically acclaimed that it opened the big doors for Ren's career in Hollywood especially when he won the best actor award in the academy awards defeating the other big names in Hollywood such as, Hugh Jackman, Liam Neeson, Johnny Depp, surprising the entertainment world.
However, even if he have achieved such feats in his career that everyone are striving to reach Ren is still not satisfied, he is still not genuinely happy.
British Producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh who is former classmates with Shien's fiancé at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama invited him and his fiancé and Shien brought Ren along with them to have a change of scenery.
Ren noticed Shien become very quiet since the host of the party introduced a well-known couple to everyone.
Shien turned around to face him, "H-Hey Ren I-I feel sick…" her bangs covering her eyes while her hand covering her mouth as if she's going to throw up.
Ren startled by what she said tried to sooth her by patting his friend on her back, "I'll go get you some water." But before he could leave his place Shien grabbed his arm.
"D-Don't leave Ren…stay…"
"What's going on with you Shie-"
"Shien," Ren could feel the hand of Shien on his arm tremble once the girl called her name.
"Yes it's Shien! Hello sister in law it's been awhile." The brown haired girl said as she pull her unwilling husband next to her. "Come on Michael your sister is here…"
"Don't pull Akane…" Shien froze on her spot hearing her brother's voice gave a jolt on her body. She thought that once they meet again she won't be affected by them but she's wrong (utterly wrong).
"Shien…" it's pathetic but hearing her brother say her name makes her feel weak in the knees that she have to hold on to Ren for support.
"Ren please bring me home I'm not feeling well." she said quietly to Ren who nodded.
"Sorry but it looks like we have to go." Ren said out of politeness he was about to usher Shien out of the ballroom when Michael grabbed Shien's arm back down.
"Wait Shien I…" Michael gasped realizing what he has done he immediately let her go.
"I'm sorry…"
"Say it…" Shien said cutting the silence between them
"What do you mean?" Ren asked who's currently sitting by the edge of her bed while Shien lying at her bed her well comb hair now messy.
"That I'm pathetic…"
"Why should I?"
"You saw me I become so weak with him just calling my name."
"I don't see weakness as weakness for what's worth I'm proud of you…"
Shien sits up not understanding why Ren would be proud of her, "You showing your weakness is like silently admitting to yourself that you still have feelings for him."
"I'm not I don't love him anymore!" Shien denied forcefully yet she knows (her feelings) better than anyone else.
"Sensei's shouldn't lie to their students…" Ren said referring what she said to him before when they met for the first time.
"Even if I admit my feelings for him it's already too late we're both committed to someone who loves us dearly…"
After conversation Ren decided to go to the bar instead of going home.
"One tequila please." Ren ordered while sitting at the stool next to the bartender.
"Same here for me." The man sitting next to Ren said, "Hey…" the man said to Ren.
"You…"
"Hi, I'm Michael…" the man said offering his hand to Ren.
"Ren…" he said accepting Michael's hand shake.
"How's Shien?" Ren look at Michael's eyes he had to admit he could see himself on Michael's eyes and he couldn't help but to sympathize to their pain.
"Is she all right?" he asked slowly once again waiting patiently for Ren's answer.
"Yeah, she's fine…"
"I…I see…" Michael sighed in relief, while looking at his glass of tequila.
"Why don't you go visit your sister if you're that worried about her?"
"I can't…" he said drinking his tequila.
"I know it wasn't my business but Shien already told me about you two…" Ren said blankly.
"S-She did?!" Michael sighed longer now he was really surprise that Shien would tell someone about them. But that's only a proof that this man and his 'sister' is close.
"Before you jump into conclusion Shien and I are only close friends that's all there is between the two of us.
Michael sighed heavily while staring at his drink, "Shien and I met each other on a blind date set by our classmates back in high school we connected the first time we met and before we know it we fell in love…" Michael started while Ren listen to him intently. "But then as you know it fate is against us we learned that she's dad's daughter to another woman making us half-siblings but maybe because we're young we didn't care…we slept together after that we know we can't back to being normal. I thought life is all bliss and love conquers all but it's not we…I learned that the hard way." He said drinking his shot in one gulp.
"Our dad found out about us and he fell ill I had to take over the company I have to save it from bankruptcy so I decided to marry the daughter of my dad's business partner…aren't I despicable?" Michael scoffed remembering all his bad decision makes him feel even more mess up.
"But do you still love her?" Ren asked cutting the silence between them.
"It doesn't matter…"
"Well it does…"
"I…of course I love her I still love her and that will never change but it's already too late…I'm married and she's…"
"There's still time why don't you investigate even further." Ren suggested he can't let this guy just give up like what he did to his relationship with Kyoko.
"You're influential you're a president of a global company you can do what ordinary people can't…"
"I…"
"If you really love her then do something don't just lament on your failed love…don't do the same thing that I did don't give her up there's still a time fight for what you believe is right in your heart the two of you has still a shot for a second chance…"
A sudden desire of fighting what he feel is right ignites the hope and passion inside Michael's heart.
"Yes, you're right!"
"Then what are you waiting for?" Ren watch Michael as he stand up and take a huge sum of money out of his pocket then slamming it on the bar table. "Thank you Ren I will go to her now…" Michael said as he walk away leaving Ren to lament on his situation.
"Now I have to do the same thing I said to Michael…I have to fight for Kyoko and it has to be now…I'm going to do whatever it takes to win her back…for I still love her…"
"Everybody deserves a second chance in this world. That's basically all I ask."
AN: A big thanks to the reviews, follows, favorite and everyone who reads this story. My beta and I wrote this chapter and we hope all of you enjoy this as an insight into what Ren have been through the past two years in America, Kyoko's Side Story will be posted next followed by chapter 72.