-Oxford - Wednesday: Part 10-
Kyoko sat on the sofa she had chosen this seat because she could easily dangle her arms over the armrest and rest her cheek against them. Looking into the bedroom where Daiki sat in front of several computers, moving back and forth between them before stopping at the desktop, she wondered how he could keep track of what he was doing with all those programs he had running. Pulling her legs up she turned to look at Ruto who leaned against the wall, his arms crossed before looking back towards Daiki.
"I don't know what to do..." she said softly causing Ruto to look towards her.
"About what Miss Kyoko?" her eyes turned to look at him for a moment shaking her head. He moved forward as she went back to look at Daiki in the other room. Ruto moved so she was looking at him before kneeling down slightly. "Please tell me, Miss Kyoko." She closed her eyes trying to refocus on her mind.
"Well, Heth scares me but not as much as Shoutaro... I fear him far more than Heth," she whispered softly before shaking her head as she pulled herself up from the armrest staring towards the tv that was off. "Yet I don't understand why they are different, they both hurt me and yet I can't hate Shoutaro to want him destroyed completely." She was willing to put herself in harm's way to take down Heth, regardless of what it meant for her in the end. Yet the thought of Shoutaro touching her, being near her made her physically ill. Not that those men didn't make her feel ill but it was different somehow in her head. The way they made her feel vs the way Shoutaro made her feel.
Ruto closed his eyes, "They hurt you in different ways." he said softly.
Daiki leaned back in his chair listening to what she said as the images of the marks that Heth had left. "It's not just that... It's the attachment she had for one that she didn't have for the other," he said standing up and making his way towards them both. Kyoko watched him carefully as he moved forward and flopped down next to her. "Look Kyoko it's like this. That Heth guy he hurt your body right?" She slowly nodded her head, "Yet did Shoutaro ever really hurt your body physically?"
Kyoko thought about it for a moment, "Not really. I mean sometimes he held too tightly..." she said leaving out the fact that he had tried to force his kiss upon her or how he held her to him so she couldn't leave. That he had done with others before but never her, "He had me do things for him, but nothing really that bad... clean, cook, take care of him basically..." yes she was just a servant but that didn't change the fact he had sold her into a far worse kind of slavery and even now he hasn't seemed to understand exactly what he had done only desiring to own her again now that she was free.
Ruto watched Daiki for a moment "The heart is what's the issue is what you are getting at Daiki" he wasn't sure he liked where this was going it might truly turn her away from ever accepting that sort of love but he could understand where he was coming from.
Daiki gave a small nod of his head. "She shut off her heart for one. Right, Kyoko? He never had a piece of your heart or your soul, just your body?" she slowly nodded her head looking down from both of them. "That's what I thought. Shoutaro he had a piece of your heart, you have him everything you could give him while still being true to yourself right?" she stilled completely as if she couldn't breathe and he felt the need to push onwards before she completely shut down on him. "But you can't shut off your heart even now because no matter what he did he helped you right?"
Ruto eyes narrowed as she nodded her head, "You do not owe him anything, Miss Kyoko."
"In a way I do..." she said softly looking at him, "If he hadn't done what he did, I wouldn't be here... I wouldn't have a father, I wouldn't have you or Daiki. I got one of my biggest wishes... a family." she said looking down, "A real home, a place to belong. It's all thanks to him." she narrowed her eyes, "But I want him to pay and I don't know how to go about that. I want him to realize and understand what he did but I don't want to destroy his life. He, in the end, didn't really destroy mine."
"Then do what I'm doing," Daiki said simply as he stood up. She stared at him questioningly and he looked down at her, "It's easy. Join his world. Where you stand right now, it won't change anything. You might have fame in a different way but it's different still. You just need to enter his world, the world of showbiz."
Kyoko tilted her head allowing her mind to wander, "I really can't sing… and I don't think the flute and koto are going to get me very far in the music world" she said softly.
"There are other ways to join that world if you want. Yet I think you should just focus on your dancing with Keiji, that can be your start point," he said moving back to his room.
Ruto understood completely where he was coming from in this. If he got Kyoko to focus on her dancing, she would be able to focus on her abilities to act, something she felt that she really couldn't do. Yet he did it in this way so that she would be able to find it herself. It wasn't just dancing that Keiji did with her, there were roles that they had to make happen without ever using words. The music, their movements the looks. 'Yes, she would learn these sort of things if she went to LME's Acting Classes.'
Daiki paused as his eyes turned towards the door "Great more people." he muttered as he disappeared behind the bedroom door, slamming it shut just as the door opened letting in Keiji and Ren.
Keiji had led the way to the hotel room, he had waved towards the lady at the desk before hitting the only elevator that would lead up to the VIP floor, his hands in his pockets his eyes trailed towards Ren for a moment, "So how did you manage to get approved?"
Ren smiled some, "I guess my connection to Lory and Maria." it wasn't far off from the truth, "otherwise I guess my fame as Japan's number one most desirable man."
"Yeah, well that means you are replaceable," he said simply as he taps the button before closing his eyes. Due to this Keiji missed the look in Ren's eyes that seemed to turn dark for a moment. Even without Keiji telling him that he knew that this sort of thing was true. Those lists really meant nothing but he still didn't like it thrown so easily in his face. His goal wasn't to be on that list it was to be the best, to pull away from his father's shadow. That shadow that even though he no longer worked in Japan he couldn't seem to get out of. Kuu or Shuuhei Hozu was just still too big for him.
They said nothing more as the doors open and Keiji made the way down the hall towards the room, he pulled out the keycard before pausing at the door, "Do I need to explain to you how to be a good little boy?" he said turning towards to take him in.
Ren smiled some, "No, I know how to behave."
Keiji noted that he was hiding behind that mask of his, the one he always seen in the interviews before mentally sighed, 'Yeah you know how to hide behind a mask like the rest of us.' Still, he didn't move to open the door just yet, "I'm holding you to it Ren-chan" he said sliding the keycard, punching the number into opening the door just as they could hear the door slamming. 'Great Daiki is in a bad mood, he's going to just love me in a moment.' and stepping inside.
Ren's eyes trailed over towards Kyoko and Keiji didn't miss this as he shut the door, he moved passed him as he motioned for him to sit down while he made his way to the close door, he opened it and looked at his brother before mentally shaking his head. "Sorry to bother you but I need you to do me a favor." Daiki didn't look up from his computers and Keiji went on. "Lory wants me to watch this kid," he said leaning against the door frame his eyes trailing towards Ren taking in the fact he had sat next to Kyoko, who had pulled herself closer to the armrest looking towards the bedroom door but most of all it also put her closer to Ruto.
"And why do I need to watch him if Lory told you to do so?" he had expected this from his elder brother but he also knew that even though he sounded annoyed he would end up doing it anyway simply because one of his family members had asked him to do something and that was how they both worked. Since he had disappeared leaving a mess behind. That meant they took turn dealing with the messes that people left behind together. "I need to check something out..." he said simply his eyes turning towards Kyoko who he noticed flinched slightly.
"What is that?" he said running a hand through his hair, still not looking at his younger brother he could see from the screen itself that he was looking at Kyoko after saying that. 'He likely found out, he does touch her more than anyone else due to being her partner.' That meant something he wouldn't likely know unless told, even though he already knew.
"I need you to keep an eye on him. Won't take to long promise," he said swinging the door the rest of the way open. "Thanks," Daiki mentally shook his head before leaning over his computer keyboard once more.
Keiji didn't tell him which meant that he wasn't sure just how bad it was. 'He's not going to be happy when he finds out just how bad it is...' he said closing the programs before turning and doing the same with the others. Still, he wouldn't move just yet, he had to seem like he was annoyed about being bothered, even though he actually was. The fact that there was someone in their world that didn't belong made him more annoyed than actually helping his brother.
Keiji eyes trailed towards Ren, the man was no longer looking at her, or to put it more correctly he realized that she was bothered by his presence at the moment and was trying to allow her the space that she had wanted in the first place. 'You are so clueless aren't you?' he leaned forward inches from Kyoko's face and noticed how Ren's eyes turned towards him, there was an inner rage that filled him but he paid him no mind as he lowered his voice so only Kyoko would hear him, "I saw it. I want to see how bad it is."
Kyoko paled as she looked up at him as he backed away from her his hands in his pocket. Kyoko's eyes turning towards to Ruto who didn't move. Keiji's eyes narrowing as if daring Ruto to try and get in the middle of this and the man stood up, Keiji didn't break eye contact and either did Ruto. "I don't want to…" she said softly as she pulled her legs up towards her chest and held them.
"Shame I wasn't actually asking as much as telling," he said not really looking at her as he spoke, "We can do it in here if you rather. It's going to be done one way or another. Ruto won't get in the middle of it" He noted the way her face seemed to regain all its blood and she flushed completely red.
"You wouldn't..." she said licking her lips as she looked up at him. Then frowned, "That's not very nice Keiji!" she said even though as she was standing up as she said the words. "That's not nice at all!" she said huffing and he shrugged his shoulders. He noted that Ren seemed to be confused at what was going on but Keiji didn't have the time nor was it his business to explain anything to him.
"Daiki get out here and take care of Ren-chan," he said taking Kyoko's hand before turning to look at him, "and you better be nice to my brother." He said pulling Kyoko towards the shared the bathroom he looked over his shoulder even though she followed him with no question. "Ruto make sure he doesn't barge in." The man gave a small nod of his head and began to follow after them. Where he would stand guard over the bathroom.
Daiki rolled his eyes as he heard the door being shut, "so annoying." he muttered under his breath as he moved towards the door that had been opened, his eyes narrowed at what he saw sitting on the couch. 'Kuon' it hadn't been hard for him to figure out that it was him, he looked enough like his father Kuu and he knew enough of what had happened to him. Still, he didn't expect Lory to have Keiji to watch the man who had run out on them. Daiki mentally groans and his eyes turned towards Ruto 'Yeah... I'm not sure I feel safe...'
Unlike Keiji he didn't have the body to dodge movements, while Keiji to his knowledge had no ability in fighting, he knew how to slow people down, he knew how to dance and he had an upper body strength due to having to lift people all the time. Still, he knew that Keiji kept his strength, agility, and stamina in check because he never knew what role he would get before taking Kyoko as his partner. That to Daiki meant that he stood at least some sort of chance of keeping himself from getting hurt but that didn't mean he could.
"I can take it off myself!" Daiki winced slightly at the look that Ren shot the door. The aura around the room darkening.
"Then do it already, stop stalling" Yeah Daiki was pretty sure that Kyoko was fighting Keiji and the fact that he raised his voice showed his annoyance with the fact she was fighting him about this matter. It was quickly followed by a crash in the bathroom, something being thrown perhaps? He wasn't sure but even Ruto looked at the door he was standing in front of.
"Stop being so rough!" Kyoko voice seemed to extra loud as there was another crash in the bathroom before someone hit the bathroom door.
Daiki winced slightly, 'she's going to get him killed at this rate.' got to get him to not focus on what they are doing inside there. He hated this, he really didn't want to deal with this man. This man who ran out and left a huge fucking mess for them to deal with. "So you like her in a romantic way?"
Ren's eyes snapped towards him quickly, Daiki was pretty sure there was shock before it was quickly schooled as if he didn't care. "No."
Daiki rolled his eyes, "Whatever before you kill my little brother. Let me show you something." he said before turning and entering his room.
"Don't you dare!" Kyoko voice was filled with rage as something else hit the door, or perhaps it was the walls. "I mean it Keiji!" there was a slight panic in her voice this time. Ruto eyes narrowed some but Daiki felt that it was more important now to get Ren out of earshot. Afterall Ren was nothing more than a role and who knew how long that could last if Kuon got truly mad.
"Seriously, if you don't love her then come here," he said simply and that made Ren move. Daiki figured if he denied it once he would force himself to keep denying it because telling the truth wouldn't happen. Then again Daiki was pretty sure he didn't even know what love was. He had plenty of women, so many more than he even dated. That had changed at least from what he had seen, once he had turned 18 he hit a dry spell. No longer dating, no longer seeking women for whatever the hell he called it being with them, they never lasted even the ones he said he loved. 'Kuon must be going insane but why did he change that aspect of himself?' he mentally shook his head as he shut the door to the bedroom.
He moved to his desktop turning on some music before grabbing his laptop, he knew what he was doing was dangerous, for himself. It also meant that he would be a little bit of the knowledge he had out and that wasn't good. Leiko would be pissed if she finds out but he had to make sure this man didn't hurt his brother, that he kept control over that part of himself because Daiki was pretty sure him getting into fights hadn't changed and no matter how good his brother might be Daiki doubted he could take on Kuon even if he was hiding behind the mask of Ren. 'He might have run but old habits die hard' his eyes narrowed slightly as he pulled up two images putting them into their own little file that would delete itself the moment it was closed or someone outside attempted to break into his computer. Not that he expected such a thing to happen but he had to make sure.
"Kuon..." he said looking at him, the man glared at him but he couldn't back down now. "I don't need you to attack my brother, he doesn't know you and Ren are the same guy," he said flipping the laptop around for him to see. "You might have stopped that one guy," he said leaning forward as he handed him the laptop. "Yet you didn't prevent anything." he watched as Kuon or Ren or whoever he was looked at the laptop. His face twisted slightly.
"Kyoko is Keiji's partner, she's hiding that from just about everyone to not worry them." his eyes narrowed, "she's not running away, that guy she plans to make him pay." he stood up and moved towards him before leaning over his laptop. "How much skill do you think is required to hide how much pain she physically is in right now?" he didn't actually know but as someone who trained their body to handle such things he figured that this man would know. Rather or not as Kuon he would answer was something completely different.
"She would have to be really skilled..." his voice sounded distance. "She doesn't even move like she's in pain..." Daiki stood up straight.
"So why are they acting like he didn't do anything then?" He was speaking more to himself before taking his laptop and closing the window.
"Who?" Daiki looked towards him before leaning over his desktop.
"Sorry, it's the family's business... I only showed you this because I was protecting my little brother from your rage," he said turning the music off. Daiki made his way towards the door opening it, "Time's up. You get to go back to your happy little life now and pretend you don't know us." he said leaning against the door he called out loud enough to be hard from the bathroom. "Keiji are you done yet? I'm sick of babysitting your kid, I got work to do."