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.
Chapter 76
"Hey Ren what do you think of this?" Shien said coming out of the fitting room wearing aglamorous in georgette, with pretty pleats, a shiny ribbon bow triangle lace cups empire waist with satin bow lingerie.
Kyoko's eyes widen at the sight, she wasn't a man but looking at Shien's figure just made her jaw drop, "Wow you're so sexy…"
Shien visually look ecstatic by Kyoko's compliment, "Wow Kyoko-chan you're so cute so honest and adorable…" with a smile but frown when she turn Ren, "Some guy here…" she said pertaining to Ren who's also become their chaperone slash shopping bag holder.
Ren twitch, "Stop dilly-dallying and just buy that stuff so we can get out of here!" he yelled at Shien (With a bulging vein popping out of his head).
Shien slip her tongue out to Ren, "Boo party-pooper Ren!"
"Well I'm not enjoying it…this is my only day off and I have to babysit you…"
"It's your job as a man to take care of your woman…"
"If you weren't a girl and a friend I already-…" Ren thought to himself containing his anger and irritation to himself. "No must not hit a girl…" he continue saying to himself.
"Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko muttered worriedly (As she sneak glances to Ren who's visibly having a hard time hiding his irritation from them) She snapped out of her thoughts when she felt Shien tapped her shoulder.
"S-Shien-san?"
"Don't worry about Ren~"
Kyoko blush from being found out, "N-No I-I'm not worried at all…" she said looking away.
"Yeah right~" Unconvinced Shien said.
"R-Really I-I'm not!"
Shien shrug her shoulders and just went back to the fitting room to change back.
Kyoko sighed, "Why do I end up being here with Tsuruga-san and Shien-san? It's not that I want to be with them after all that happened that night." She thought to herself as she remember what happened earlier.
Kyoko casually walk around LME studious its Sunday today and for the first time in two years that she only have one job commitment for the day. The production of Remember me is on the break and will be back filming in Tuesday.
"What should I do for this day? Maybe I should go visit Sho at his studio..." She said taking her phone out of her purse, "No…" she shook her head. "Sho's busy this time of the day maybe I'll just go make him dinner." Kyoko squealed she like the idea of cooking for Sho it'll make her feel like a real house-wife. Kyoko giddily texted Sho that she'll be dropping by his house later tonight after sending her message she sighed contently.
"What should I cook for tonight?" she thought to herself, "I can't wait for tonight!" Kyoko was about to turn to the corner when she saw Ren and Shien coming her way. She now end up hiding beside the vending machine.
"Gah! What should I do? After what happened back at the set I can't stop thinking about it…I can't get the image of Tsuruga-san and Shien-san in that provocative display…what are they doing? What is there relationship? But besides that…Tsuruga-san said harsh things…"
Kyoko wanted to kick herself remembering Ren's cold words.
"It's fun playing with you while it lasted…"
"Why do I feel disappointed when he said that…"
"Hello Kyoko-chan~…" Kyoko jump on her place when she heard Shien's playful voice on her ear.
"Waah~ S-Shien-san! What are you doing?" Kyoko said while clutching at her chest, "My god that's bad for my heart!"
"I just wanna surprise you…" Shien said while twirling the strand of her hair playfully.
"W-What are you- I mean…I…"
"Ren left to talk to someone…he was really weird wearing a chaofu…"
"Oh that was…Lory-san…" she thought to herself, "But what is C-Chaofu?" Kyoko asked slowly not knowing what the girl meant by that word.
"Allow me to enlighten you…" Shien said acting like she's a teacher, "Chaofu is a court robes with (including the dragon motif) decorative representation of the Chinese conception of the cosmos…the dragon symbolise the emperor and he only has the permission to wear such thing…"
"Oh…" Kyoko said as a light bulb literally lighten up above her head.
"I learnt that from a Chinese co-star from my last film…" Shien said proudly.
"Oi, what's with the noise early in the morning…" Kyoko turn up only for her eyes meet Ren's she looks away immediately though not wanting him to see her face heat up, "W-What's with you Kyoko! Why did you just look away like that! He'll know that you still mind what's happened!" Kyoko started to berate herself again.
"Hey Ren you're tie is crooked," Kyoko heard Shien said she turn to look up again to see Shien fixing Ren's tie (They we're awfully close for her liking)
"What's with her? She can fix his tie without being so close to him I mean…you don't have to press yourself on him like that! What a slu-" Gah, realizing what she's about to say and what she was thinking Kyoko slap herself, "W-What's going on with me? I can't think like that to anyone especially to Shien-san…Kami-sama forgive me!"
"Hey Ren~" Shien coaxed Ren to look at her (Her hand on his cheek)
"Hmm…what?" Ren asked looking straight to the blonde girl.
Shien didn't say anything her finger gently tracing an imaginary line at the side of Ren's eye, "Sorry if I made you sleep so late last night but I know you had fun…" Ren's eye twitch remembering what happened.
"Can't you stop saying it…" Ren grimace at the thought.
"Uh~ can you two please mind that we're on the hallway…" Kyoko said trying to conceal the irritation on her face and on her voice but it was useless.
"Oooh…I don't mind being scene…"
"But this is Japan Shien-san I don't know what you do in America but it's different here…and you're actions no matter how harmless it may be to you…for others they won't see it the way you do…" Kyoko said looking away, she's right so she can't say anything against it but she may think she's affected by their display which wasn't the case!
"Why Kyoko-chan are you hurt?" Shien said innocently to Kyoko which made her dumbfounded.
"W-What? I…" Was she hurt? No she wasn't its just… "Why do I even considering what she says?!"
"Ren it looks like I offended her…"
"So? I don't care…let's just go…" Ren shrug his shoulders.
"I want her with us…"
"EH?" That's how Kyoko found herself dragged outside LME with Ren and Shien.
"I don't even want to be here…" Kyoko sighed for umpteenth time of that day. Shopping wasn't really her thing and she's getting really tired of standing here all day.
"Tsuruga-san…"
"Don't talk to me…" Ren plainly said while sitting down the couch in front of the fitting room where Shien's currently in.
"I-I'm sorry about what happened the last time…I was presumptuous…also sorry for saying weird stuff back there it was… inappropriate of me…" Kyoko said timidly while clutching at the handle of the paper back on her hand, "But I want to know why you kissed me back there in the cave…" she said looking at Ren who in return (For the first time that day) now looking back at her.
"At least for that reason you owe me some explanation." She said her eyes brimming of anticipation.
"Why did you kiss me back?" instead of answering Ren ask her another question.
"Eh?"
"I know you're not deaf so I don't have to repeat myself." He said like it was a bother to answer her question.
"I was the one asking you so it's only fair for you to answer mine without answering a question with another question." Kyoko eyes watch Ren as he stood up from his seat (Not sparing her not even a glance)
"Tsuruga-san!"
"If you answer me first then that's when I'll answer yours…"
"W-What?" Kyoko said not understanding what he meant.
"Ren I can't reach my back can you help me zip up?" Shien said from inside the stall.
"Yeah open the door."
"Tsuruga-san…I wonder what does he meant by that?"
"Kyoko are you listening to me?" Saena's strict voice brought Kyoko back to reality.
"Eh?"
"What's wrong Kyoko-chan are you okay?" Fuwa Eren Sho's step mother asked Kyoko worriedly (While pausing from eating her meal) She has dark blue hair green eyes and fine nose and her skin and is an envy.
"Well it's understandable though she's only two years older than us…she's a very young wife for Sho's dad but who am I to judge?" Kyoko thought to herself.
"Uh, Uhmm yeah I'm okay Eren-san…" Kyoko said while nervously cutting her steak,"Damn I can't show them my unstable side…plus I can't think about Tsuruga-san while I'm with Sho!"
"Are you sure Kyoko?" Kirito asked his future-daughter in law.
Kyoko looks at Sho's father (He really do look like an older version of Sho.)
"Uh yes I'm fine really…"
"So I was asking when will the two of you continue planning the wedding?"
"Eh?" Kyoko turned to Sho who's sitting beside her. "Sho?" Sho's been acting aloof since he fetch her from the mall earlier. Whenever she tried talking to him he wouldn't answer he just nod and shake his head. "D-Did I do something again?" she asked herself.
"Sho you're auntie Saena is asking you." Kirito said sternly to his son who looks like he doesn't care about anything around him.
"I decided to postpone the wedding." All four people in the room left surprise by Sho's sudden announcement.
"P-Postponed?! That's just ridiculous!" Saena yelled angrily. "What are you saying wedding, marriages is not something you should play around with! Don't your mother teach you that?!"
"I don't know I don't remember…hey dad…" Sho called out to his father who's sitting across the table, "Did my mother teach me that?" he said sardonically to his father.
"Sho what's happening? Sho felt like he's a different person now…" Kyoko thought to herself (She's kind of scared by the intensity of Sho's sudden change of mood) "It's like as if he's upset about something…"
"Sho!" Kirito said with edge on his voice.
"Before my 'mother' can teach me all those stuff about love and all you drove her out of the house and then after several years you taken in a woman who's only my age to replace my mother. How was it dad? Is she that good?" he said glaring to his step-mother.
"…"
"Shoutaro you don't know the real reason why-…" Sho stood up not letting his father continue what he was saying. "I'm done…I'm leaving." He declared as he walk away.
"W-Wait Sho!" Kyoko stand up, "I'm sorry about that I will come and bring back Sho…" she said bowing to the three before running after Sho.
"W-Wait Sho!"
Kyoko move to hold onto Sho's arm but he swatted her hand away like he just got touch by an insect.
"Sho?"
"Don't touch me." Sho said icily his blue eyes cold as stone.
"Sho what's happening? What's happen back there? And what's with you postponing the wedding."
"Why? That's what you want right."
"Eh? I-I can't understand you Sho what's going on with you? I can't help you if you don't say anything…Sho!" Kyoko said turning Sho to face her.
"Do you have something that you wish to tell me…" Sho said every word slowly.
"What?"
Sho scoffed, "As I've thought…"
"Sho what's going on? I can't understand you! Please tell me what's wrong!" Kyoko said her tears streaming down her cheeks as she desperately want to know what's going on with Sho.
"No…" Sho said his bangs covering his eyes, "You tell me…what's wrong Kyoko…" For the second time that day Kyoko was left by questions she couldn't and have no idea how to respond to.
"Eh…" her eyes quivered.
"If I could give you one thing I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes only then you would realize how much this…" Sho said while clutching his chest where his heart is to emphasize his point to Kyoko, "Hurts whenever I look at you…"
"Sho…" she said her voice cracking just then she realize it's starting to rain. It was as if the heavens is crying with her.
"Why Kyoko? Why does it hurt so much…"
"I…" Kyoko fell silent.
"Thank you for being a part of my life Kyoko…"
"Eh…"
"Thank you and…goodbye…" with that Sho started to walk away.
"What's going on what's going on? I can't understand anything anymore!"
"Kyoko…" Saena called out her daughter.
"Eh?"
"I heard from Shoko that Sho knows what happened between you and Tsuruga Ren…"
"Huh that is…we didn't do anything!"
"Back at the island filming someone took this photo…" if possible Kyoko's eyes gotten more bigger the photo's her mother showed her was the photo of her and Ren kissing back in the island where they got stuck in the cave.
"B-But who would do such thing!" Kyoko couldn't understand how someone could take a photo of them in such isolated area of the island.
"A desperate paparazzi? Who knows? But the most important thing is that you are caught cheating and because of that Shoutaro is hurt…you sinful immoral daughter of mine…"
"W-What are you saying? I-I'm not~…"
"You and Tsuruga Ren are siblings…"
AN: A big thanks to the reviews, follows, favorite and everyone who reads this story. This chapter is written by my friend and beta Shirahane Aikawaa big thanks to her help and genius mind in writing this chapter.