Voodoo Curse

Chapter 3

Friday had arrived. Ren was waiting outside the Love Me locker room as promised, while Kyoko tried to think of anything but the evening ahead and what it entailed. Pacing back and forth, she tried to keep the adrenaline from surging through her heart every time she thought of having to deal with Ren behaving romantically with her. Though she knew he would only be acting, she found it increasingly difficult to imagine herself capable of acting in love without her authentic feelings for Ren piercing through the façade and revealing (and ultimately ruining) everything. She absolutely couldn't allow to Ren discover how she truly felt! Bowing her head and squeezing her eyes and fists tightly, she gave herself a moment of concentration, then blurted out a firm determined declaration "Gambaro!...Yosh!", settled her expression and calmly stepped out the door with a face of serenity to meet an impatient Ren.

"All ready?" Ren queried. His heavenly smile caused Kyoko's heart and stomach to lurch dangerously and she responded with a stiff nod and a brisk "Hai!" Ren sensed her stifled emotions but recognized only that something was off about her. "Is everything alright?"

"Hai!" Kyoko chirped brightly, if artificially. Ren accepted the reply sceptically but reserved judgement on its sincerity, took her backpack, casually slung it over his shoulder and shortened his stride to match with Kyoko's.

She collided with him before she noticed his close proximity. Again the magnetism he exuded made it hard for her to move away – much like the feel of attracting opposite poles. Her desire to remain touching was undeniable and she blushed shyly. Luckily, Ren was not a witness to her flaming red cheeks.

Ren was in his own world, equally attracted – his senses were heightened and her scent, blended with a delicate floral perfume she had dabbed behind her ears that morning, teased his olfactory nerves. His nostrils flared. He subconsciously followed his instinct to sniff the nape of her neck to identify the brand she used for future reference, but he stopped himself as he started to lean closer. Some of his old flirting habits were surfacing, not in the calculated way he had utilized them in the past, but almost irritatingly awkward in situations that had previously been so easy for him to maneuver. To perform practiced lines or gestures now was just so inappropriate. He ran several of the most successful over in his mind and glumly tossed each one away. He already knew long ago she deserved so much better than that. How he had behaved at fifteen in the United States would not work here in here in Japan, especially with Kyoko! He knew that from firsthand experience.

"God I can't believe it! I've brought myself all the way down to Kijima's level for even considering them! I've been Ren so long I don't know how to behave as myself!" Ren recalled more than one incident when Kyoko had accused him of being a playboy and he hadn't recognized it until just now that she was the reason why Kuon emerged to alternately bait and bully her. She was bringing out the man Kuon had become while lying dormant in the persona of Ren. A sort of arrested development had occurred when circumstances forced him to come to Japan and assume his new identity. Kuon's adolescence had been interrupted at a crucial time and was thus imprisoned in the confined space of his mind. Acting as Ren he suppressed Kuon's natural sexual urges, and, now that Kuon was erratically leaking out, his animal instincts were difficult to hold in check, and it was excruciating.

Ren's thoughts raced fast forward to the rehearsal appointment. He was eager but terrified, knowing that his alter ego could emerge without sufficient warning, as it had with the Dark Moon practice and as the Heel Siblings. Kyoko was unaware, that for Ren, she was like Dr. Jekyll's elixir, turning him into a raging lunatic or, worse yet, a pervert. He was grateful that she also had the capability to bring him back to reality. He wondered, though, how long her power to do that would last against his increasing jealousy and lust for her. He mentally shook his head. "No, she is just too good an actress to be overwhelmed by me! Even so, I have to guard myself for her."

As they approached Ren's Porsche in the underground parking lot, they recollected themselves from their individual reveries and it was an uneventful drive to Ren's apartment.

They stopped briefly at a Chinese restaurant where Ren had pre-ordered take out. There was no way that he would attempt another omurice fiasco! The excuse to himself was that they were really getting together to work on their roles.

The ride in the elevator was uncomfortable and they each casually looked at their shoes or the ceiling, everything except each other and the ride to the twentieth floor seemed interminable.

Ren fumbled for the key card to his apartment and Kyoko waited patiently as she gripped the bags of Chinese food. As they entered she looked at the apartment as if for the first time. She hadn't been there since she had addressed her feelings for Ren. Now she took in everything about it; the size, décor, scent and every detail so she could learn more about the man for whom she felt so deeply. It was much more spacious than a Japanese style apartment, although Ren's height required more space just for him to be able to move around comfortably. The general appearance of the apartment was sterile; it didn't feel as if Ren enjoyed himself there. The stark décor held no warmth or lived-in feeling, as if he just slept there and the rest was just for show. The furniture had a staged feel to it. It reminded Kyoko of Ren's fake smile. This was not the real Ren! She could feel that.

She remembered the huge king size bed which was, in her opinion, much too large for just one person, even if they were the size of Ren. She wondered, though, how he had the ability after so much stress to sleep so soundly with someone next to him in the small twin bed they had shared as the Heel Siblings.

Kyoko placed their dinner on the kitchen counter and looked around. She remembered the time she fell trying to reach the ridiculously high cabinets to get a pan, with Ren catching her at the last minute, only to land together in an uncomfortably compromising position. She blushed again as she recalled meeting with the Emperor of the Night for the first time and wondered what she would have done if she had been aware of her feelings then.

"We'll eat first ok? I don't want the food to get cold and we don't want your growling stomach to interrupt the rehearsal." Ren teased Kyoko to release the tension he felt coming from her. "I'll get the plates, Shorty!" Ren moved between Kyoko and the cabinets she was reaching for, and effortlessly grabbed them from the shelf.

Kyoko was surprised at Ren's banter. He seemed so relaxed! Little did she know that Ren was internally sweating. Kyoko wasn't accustomed to this familiarity that Ren was using with her, but it wouldn't help at all for the rehearsing if she remained stiff, so she played along. "Well I'm sorry I don't have legs as long as you Stork Man!"

"Well for your height, your legs are disproportionately long." Ren said offhandedly. "You could be a short stork!"

Kyoko coloured. Since when had Ren noticed her legs? "Well a lot of good that does me!"

"Those legs would serve you well in the modelling industry." Ren dropped the comment casually as he help lay out their place settings on the table.

"Pfft!" Kyoko stifled a laugh. "Me? Ha-ha!"

"I'm not kidding. You are very charismatic with the camera – it loves you!"

"Eh? Since when have you seen me? It wasn't the soda commercial! I know for a fact that everyone was looking at Mo- Kanae-san! "

"I saw Sho's PV." Ren stated bluntly. He was frowning as if something disturbed him.

"Eh? You never told me you watched it! When did you watch it?" Kyoko was getting nervous thinking of the occasion, and the trouble she had got into, with Ren knowing about her wanting revenge on Sho.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Ren said dismissively. "I saw the PV and you were good – no, you were great in it. You almost stole the show - and I'm almost intending the pun. You had the camera's (and my and probably every other viewer's) and also Sho's attention." Ren said grimly.

Kyoko mentally cringed at Ren's tone on recalling the video.

Ren realized that he was going into dangerous territory. That subject should not have been brought up. It would only lead to him to wonder again about the feelings that Kyoko and Sho held for each other. How strong was the hate versus the love and how fine the line between the two emotions?

"Well never mind that! I will tell you, though, that I have also seen all the aired episodes of "Dark Moon" and "Box R". Kyoko, you've gone far past the potential I first saw in you. The fact that you are consistently getting new offers is proof of that. You shouldn't need me to tell you!"

"Thank you Tsuruga-san. As my senpai, having you tell me is important. It really is reassuring to hear it from someone I respect as an actor." Kyoko said formally while her angels were jumping for joy at Ren's praise.

Ren slumped. "Oh God, are we back to square one?"

Kyoko watched Ren serve himself from the little cardboard containers. "Have some more chow Mein! Honestly, Tsuruga-san, I wonder that you ever got as tall as you are eating so little!"

Ren smiled meekly and took another tablespoon.

**Sorry it's a short chapter and finished without a conclusion, but I wanted to get this out. I had to sit quietly at home for a while after my trip to Japan to absorb all that I saw and did! Thank you all for taking the time to read. This is really just an excuse for me to do a character study of these two and give you my thoughts on what I think they might feel or behave in situations. I find it hard to discuss in forums. If you could take the time to review after you've read, I don't mind differences of opinion or a literary critique please just don't be too cruel or blunt. I'm a sensitive creature lol! I have no beta but myself and don't claim to be a proficient writer.**