-Oxford - Friday: Part 10-
Kuon closed his temporary dark blue eyes, they had been Jelly Woods idea, when he pointed out that he couldn't be himself nor Ren Tsuruga. She had raised one eyebrow at him before sighing. When he had finally looked at himself, he again could not see Kuon, but it was close, on the very edge of who he truly was. The worse part for him was that with his hair blonde, he could not see Ren Tsuruga at all and the fear that brought him was still wrapped tightly around his heart. It just reminded him over and over again how he belonged nowhere. How he wasn't Russian an there was no trace in his mind of Japanese. The words such as freak and mutant ran through his head even now. While his mother had been a true Russian beauty it held true that this was her Enthincy and Race. Where his father, being Japanese and Japanese-American still worked, no one but himself would ever be able to pinpoint what part of his Enthincy came from where because his race was at the end of the day Japanese. While he himself was mixed. He no longer cried over it but there was a bitterness that still etched at his heart even if he, for the time being, had chosen to be nothing more than a Japanese man any time he traveled, he was brought right back into the fact that he was not. Too Japanese for the Russians, to Russian for the Japanese, and not American enough for the Americans. 'So why does it still bother me?'
Opening one eye he stared at the two women who attention he had gathered, trying to hide the annoyance that was echoing throughout his body. He really hadn't come up with much of a plan, he figured he would know what to do when he saw her so he could act out this role. How to not be too much like Corn, 'After all Corn is Kuon at the end of the day' and Lory told him not to be Ren Tsuruga, but that also meant he couldn't be Todd Damon because that would also give him away. 'I need to figure out a name' he sighed heavily again as he looked back up towards the ceiling. 'More so I need a way to get rid of these two women who can't take a hint.'
Shifting his attention back towards the tiles in the ceiling he allowed himself to think, 'I need to harmless, but able to protect' well that wouldn't really be too much an issue unless he wasn't supposed to drop the role even while he was protecting her. His phone buzzed telling him he had a text message, he groans not hiding it for once, causing the two women to look at him, who he paid little attention to and were clearly not going to leave any time soon.
Remember, she can't know who you really are. - Lory
Son you better not mistreat Kyoko, your mother will have a fit! - Father
If I find out you two slept in the same room you won't see another day. - Lory
Oh but if you do sleep with her, your mother will be happy to plan a wedding - Father
Don't listen to him, there will be no sleeping together period. - Lory
I'm not saying to have sex with her but your mother really does want her for a daughter. - Father
Be friends, no lovers, don't even think of her that way! - Lory
Just make your Mother happy! - Father
Kuon couldn't help but want to walk away and just let her deal with this mess. He wasn't even in love with her, sure she was his friend. Well his childhood friend who he hadn't seen in nine years, but that didn't mean he was in love with her. 'Even if she can calm me like no one else' but as soon as that thought hit his mind he sighed again. 'She did that as a child too.' He wouldn't deny that he cared about her that he needed her to be part of his life, that he had to have a place even as Ren Tsuruga because without her there was a place inside that hurt and felt empty and cold. Yet he had felt that the moment they had said goodbye all those years ago too.
"Is everything alright?" Kuon's eyes flashed towards the woman.
Finally actually taking her in, she seemed like someone he should know. With the way, her body leaned over, the way her clothes fit just right. Yes, she had a body that women died for, so why couldn't he place her? Her hair was a darker blonde than his own, not that he at the moment had his at his true color, a shade darker. Jelly Woods said no one would notice, she really did take pride in her job but he had noticed the difference. However, his Godfather didn't seem to notice the difference at all, which again just made him realize that most people wouldn't. Yet the thing that threw him more was her blue eyes, where he was dark, hers were bright. He couldn't help the smile that played across his features, to add the fact her friend while not as curvy as the blonde was still attractive, her dark green eyes falling around her unnatural red hair almost drew him in. Actually, they might have drawn him if not for two reasons. One they both seemed duller somehow to him, as though not nearly as attractive which he couldn't understand. Second his damn phone would not stop buzzing.
Pulling his eyes away from the two women who he had not said two words two since he tried to shoo them away the first time. He looked back down at his phone.
Oh her name is Marian Walters, do tell me how she performs! - Lory
Your mother just told me that if you don't make that girl her daughter she plans to kidnapper her. - Father
Remember do NOT lay a finger on my daughter! You might be boring but she's my baby girl, find someone else to be less boring with. - Lory
Another groan escaped him, 'This is a nightmare.' He pulled up the text bubble to text Lory back seeing as he was the last one he got a text message from, he had stopped reading most of them. They were all pretty much the same at this point. No scandal, hands off his little girl, but protect her, mother wants her for a daughter, go get her. What bothered him the most was his mother had never shown any sign of approving any of his past girlfriends, not that she was mean about it but there was never the whole make this one my daughter. He seriously hoped that the added four years away from her hadn't twisted her mindset somehow. Now that he was older, but then again she used to talk about her future grandbabies when he was five so perhaps it was really she didn't approve of his past girlfriends, maybe because they weren't around long enough. 'I'm not even dating her, so why the hell do I have to make her my damn wife?' Something inside of him clicked 'I'm betting because Lory took me away she wants to take her away' he sighed.
"Oh, he's sighing" Kuon eyes turned towards the redhead who was pressing herself against him.
"Please stop" he spoke in Russian but clearly she didn't understand, at least not fully because when he stood up to move away they both got up and followed him. 'What am I mother duck?' he lowered his head letting out another sigh as he looked down at his phone to text actually text him this time. He got the words: "Enough, I" before he found his phone now in the hands of the blonde woman who now had her body pressed into his side. "Give that back," he had to keep his voice in check, he couldn't let his darkness out but he was having a hard time keeping it in check as he moved to snatch it back. This didn't stop her as she pulled away from him the phone now behind her back as she flashed a smile in his direction.
"I think he wants it back" her eyes looking towards her friend who was giggling. "I'll give it back for a kiss" she leaned her face upwards towards him, licking her lips.
'This is why I hate women. They are so fucking annoying, they think these sort of games are cute.' He wanted to smile, if he smiled he could let his rage truly boil around him but he couldn't play a gentleman, he could just use force that would be easy enough to do, he took a step forward. "You want a damn kiss fine" he stopped in his tracks, 'Goddamnit not another pest' his eyes catching the glimpse of a woman in a mint green maxi dress, who had just entered the bar. Part of him was praying that she would just walk past them, but she stopped right behind the blonde and he mentally groaned at the fact until she snatched the phone out of her hand and glanced at the screen for just a second before it went black.
"Hm, Lory Takarada" her eyes turned towards him for just a second before looking at the redhead that he could feel standing behind him.
It was her voice that had surprised him. That made him really look at the woman before him, she looked like she was much closer to his own age. True he knew part of it was likely because of the makeup but if this was what she would look like in just a few years time. His heart seemed to stop, 'No wonder Mother wants her for a daughter' he mentally sighed 'She's her ideal daughter' he winced mentally at that thought. It wasn't that his mother didn't adore him, no but whenever she talked about his future wife, it was someone who she could style in anything and look good. He really looked at Kyoko for a moment and felt again his heart stopping as she placed the phone to her lips, the smile reminding him when he had first seen a true smile from her, as she sat in a tree branch. 'Shit, did she see what was written?'
Kyoko personally would have paid no mind at the three people, even if they were near the doors. Then again Kyoko also wouldn't have bothered to even step foot in this place, even if it looked nothing like what her mind pictured and where she would likely find herself later tonight. Sadly for her, Marian apparently was actually annoyed that the three of them blocking her path. At least until Kyoko heard the man speaking Russian and her discomfort seemed to disappear all at once. It was almost as if the Russian language was her greatest weakness, her head tilted slightly as she watched the party some. The man was tall as Ren but with blonde hair instead of the brown, he was also clearly was not happy but seemed almost helpless. Well at least until Kyoko started to feel an anger building up from him. She would have thought it was Ren Tsuruga if he had been smiling instead. Yet this man was not smiling, but he was clearly not happy either and his anger died quickly. Her eyes slowly took in the Redhead, who seemed sickly amused by the antics of her friend and not even seeing the discomfort that the poor guy was in.
Marian nor Kyoko cared about how the man had two women clearly begging for his attention. 'Wait... that's exactly it.' Kyoko felt sick to her stomach when she heard the Blonde say something about a kiss. 'Disgusting' even when those mouths were played on Kyoko's own she was as they said a dead fish. Yet that wasn't Marian at all, was it? No, she would enjoy such a thing as kisses for rewards. 'No please don't' she whined inside her own head as she found herself standing behind the Blonde, 'When did we even get here?' she reached over and snatched the phone from the woman. 'Don't look, don't be nosy' her eyes glanced down 'That's not being very nice Marian' and saw that Lory Takarada had sent a text before hitting the power button 'Daddy... please don't say you sent this guy who can't even handle two women to watch over me!'
"Hm, Lory Takarada" her eyes looked towards him for just a second before turning her eyes to look at the Redhead, the woman seemed confused. 'I don't want him, Marian, on the other hand, might' she whimpered in her head. 'He's a helpless guy, of course, she wants to help him, even if that means clinging to him. Please say you can at least deal with them on your own!' She wished she could go and bang her head on something anything at all.
It was like watching a movie, she wrapped an arm around her waist as she placed the phone that clearly belonged to the man to her lips and smiled. Even as the Blonde turned around and looked at her before narrowing her eyes, "What do you think you are doing? Give that back to me!" she said holding out her hand.
Marian raised an eyebrow. Kyoko knew this woman, it was the same one who Ren Tsuruga had wanted to be with. The pain in her heart twisted but she could only pray it didn't reflect in her eyes as Marian stepped passed the woman and held out the phone, "Here" it was a simple word in Russian but the look on the man's face said it all. He smiled so warmly at her that she felt as if she was going to die of a heart attack.
"Thank you."
'No no no, why does he have that smile? Isn't one person in this world enough? Does there really need to be two?' It was to close to Ren Tsuruga's smile the one he had flashed during the wedding shoot and it scared her, she wanted to jump back but apparently, Marian wouldn't and it was almost a fight of wills with her desire to jump and run trying to toss out Marian's thoughts and actions. 'Don't run, don't run, whatever you don't run.' Slowly her eyes turned back towards the Blonde woman who glared at her. Marian smiled sweetly at her all the same. "Yes?"
"Who do you think you are?" That line, she wanted to laugh so much and thankful Marian seemed to be more than happy to give at least a smile.
'I thought you wanted Ren Tsuruga... though I have to admit, this man is prettier.' While Ren clearly was handsome she sadly was always more drawn towards men with blonde hair and green eyes and while this man didn't have the green eyes and his blonde hair was not the perfect shade. She still couldn't deny that she herself found him to be an improvement in looks over Maria's beloved Ren. 'Personality wise... I rather have Ren though, well the real Ren.' No matter how she looked at him, this may seem way to nice accepting help from a female. 'Didn't guys hate seeming weak in front of women?' Kyoko couldn't help but mentally sigh as she placed her knuckle in her mouth softly biting it. It was something that Foxglove used to do a lot. She always a sign that she was starting to get upset, maybe even cry not that she would allow herself to do that until she was sure no one was watching. Yet for Marian it was a sign of trying not to allow her own annoyance take control and for her to say something truly unkind because while she was easily annoyed, she never would allow herself to get mad. 'Even though' she tilted her head slightly she dropped her hand from her mouth and smiled sweetly at the woman.
"Sorry, I don't understand the question." The Blonde huffed stepping around her. 'I wonder if she is still upset over Ren Tsuruga... doesn't she understand that he would have chosen her if it wasn't because he was hired to come with me?' Yet none of that matter of course to Marian and so none of her own personal annoyance with this woman and her apparently low self-esteem mattered at the moment. No, as far as Marian could understand, this poor man was being bullied by one Blonde but as he had not exactly asked for help she wouldn't yet take part and that was what was annoying Marian. The fact that this woman was forcing herself onto someone disgusted both of them.
"Of all the stupidity, you would think people who come here would understand English. As if it's so hard." It wasn't as if she spoke the words harshly, it sounded more like gossip between two women. Yet what was strange to her was the fact that not once did the man himself speak anything but Russian at least not since she heard him spoking and he had said nothing to these two women either. 'Can he not speak anything but Russian?' All of a sudden Marian heart ached out towards him, she felt awful that this man was being pulled around and she hadn't yet done much of anything to help him.
"Yes, I agree. Not only that but we're with such a charming man she had to butt in." The Redhead shook her head as she snuggled into the man's arm, who sigh was a clear sign that he had pretty much given up.
Marian wouldn't normally look up towards the ceiling as if begging the Gods to give her strength, no that was fully Kyoko at the moment before she took a deep breath and released it slowly. Looking back she watched as the two women get the man settled on the couch and were snuggling up to him. Chatting happily between themselves as the man himself seemed to drop his head back against the couch and sighed heavily. 'I guess he really is trapped.' Kyoko wasn't sure if that was her or Marian's thoughts on the matter but she moved towards the three of them. Her and Marian's hearts both wanting to help him with his women problem.
"Don't look now but she's back." The Redhead shot a glare towards her but she paid no mind as she stopped in front of the man himself.
The Blonde's eyes seemed far more threatening than anything the Redhead could throw at her, but it was pretty clear to Kyoko and Marian that these two would not be releasing their claim on the man at all. "Can she not take a hint?" it almost came out as a hiss and perhaps it would have if the Blonde wasn't clearly trying to keep her emotions in check. Her friend shook her head before waving a hand in a shooing motion in Marian's direction.
Marian smiled softly at him, before looking at the two women once more her smile could likely rival's Ren's in her mind at the moment before she simply position herself so she was sitting in his lap not paying attention to the two women who had begun to rant at her, clearly trying to push her away from the poor man. 'As long as no one starts a catfight, well Marian might in a moment if we're not careful.' She had to hide her surprise when she felt his arms wrap around her waist pulling her closer to him. 'Not good, not good' she mentally told herself that this man knew her father, that it was fine. That her father would not put her with a pervert and once again that they were not in Japan where this was highly improper. "Now, that might make them even more upset." Her eyes left his after speaking to him before she turned towards the Blonde who she was facing, hoping beyond all hope that the Redhead was not crazy like the woman she met before.
A/N: All that the Skip Beat book states are that Kuu is half-American, half-Japanese. This means to me that the chances were high that one parent was actually from America and the other Japan [because I know no one in real life who tells me they are "Half/Part American" unless it's along the lines of race it was always to state another ethnicity into the mix aka my family uses Scottish/Irish American to acknowledge those roots from generations passed.] Kuon however actually ethnicity confuses me so I will be writing him as mixed-raced [because you can only be one race otherwise you are mixed] who is 25% Japanese-American, 25% Japanese and 50% Russian [because if all he needs to do to look "pure" Japanese is dye his and wear contacts, he is at least 50% Asian in my book]
A/A/N: I edit this to hopefully make it flow better as it was pointed out to be confusing.