I do not own Skip Beat!
Thank you Yoshiki Nakamura for all of your incredible talent.
Chapter 3: Heart Of It All
"I won't do it Boss! I am not one of your LoveMe members." Ren protested.
"Sit down!" Lory snarled. "You will do it and I'm going to tell you why."
"Really? You think I can be so easily manipulated?"
"Fine.. I have at least ten other men that would easily line up to escort this talent at her father's request." Lory said casually as he got out his address book and began to make a list of eligible bachelors.
"Who's the little spoiled princess.." Ren hissed.
"Oh? I thought you weren't interested." Lory said slyly.
"..."
"Roxy." Lory sighed dramatically. "Her father has specifically requested your presence since you are one of his models. He believes that you two would have a great deal of photographic chemistry." Lory told him factually.
"Fine, I'll do it." Ren announce feigning disinterest.
"This is your one and only chance... Don't screw this up Kuon. I won't be able to get you another chance like this. She's not who she used to be, she's healed and she's stronger. She may make you work for her this time."
"What makes you think I didn't work last time?" Ren asked incredulously.
"Are you kidding me? She fell for you when you two did Dark Moon you moron!" Lory let slip. "Shit.."
"She did?" Ren croaked out in shock.
"Yes, but you didn't hear that from me." Lory warned him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ren asked angrily.
"Honestly, I thought you would figure it out before she found out your little charade." Lory told him casually waving his hand around.
"Wait, she knows?" Ren asked nervously.
"Yep, she saw the true you in the parking garage before you left for the final scenes for Tragic Marker. I think that's why she left. She felt betrayed. Although, I can't imagine how she knew it was you." Lory mused.
"I think I know." Ren mumbled in shame remembering their little meeting in Guam with him in all of his blond glory. How could I be so fucking stupid! She really must hate me by now. He thought to himself as he wallowed in self-pity.
"Roxy, you need to do this. Please don't make me use your contract against you. You're my daughter first, employee second." Stephen pleaded.
"Fine Daddy. I'll do it but, I'm not going to be happy about it." She fumed.
"I don't expect you to be, but you can at least pretend. You are a great actress after all."
She sighed, "You know I can't refuse when you say things like that Daddy."
"Sorry Princess." He told her as he pulled her into a hug. "It won't be that bad."
"That's what you think." She grumbled.
"You have two weeks to prepare yourself for the party of the year." announced a father and a god-father in unison, one in Dallas and the other in Japan. The two victims of match-making sighed in resignation. One got a kiss on the forehead and the other a pat on the back.
The two unfortunates stood at their respective airports with first class tickets in hand to New York and reservations for the Plaza Hotel. The ticket from Dallas would stay in a Legacy suite, the ticket from Tokyo would stay at the Plaza in a Junior Suite. The collective thought strayed to the gym and spa perks that would relieve them of the coming stressful meeting. Ren sighed, Kyoko rolled her eyes.
"Now boarding for New York." The announcement blared over the intercom and the two boarded their flights.
He was unaware that she would be staying at the same hotel, but there she was rising up out of the water of the pool like Aphrodite emerging from the waves in a white crocheted string bikini that barely left anything to the imagination enhancing every dip and curve of her lithe body. She passed by him as if he were air, donned her wrap and slipped on her heels then left for her room.
"Kyo...ko" He whispered unable to put a sentence together. He could still smell her natural sweet scent. He could taste it. His throat tightened and his mind clouded. He stood for a moment then turned quickly to catch a glimpse of the elevator door as it shut behind her.
The next sighting was around dinner time at Epicerie Boulud, dining with a young man that looked like, his cousin Jason?!
"Roxy sweetie, when ya gonna take my offer and settle down." Jason teased.
"Jason.." She caressed his neck playfully, "when we're more than just friends."
"Ouch." He yelped clutching his heart.
"Stop that." she scolded. She saw Ren as she glanced up. Is he following me? She felt a twitch of annoyance.
"Well alright, I'll see you in two weeks in Orlando." Jason told her as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"Enjoy your time off. We won't get much for the next six months." She reminded him of their tour.
"Ugh, I know. FOR THE FANS!" he cheered enthusiastically. She shook her head in embarrassment as Ren quietly dined in the corner alone contemplating the conversation he overheard and picking at his salad.
"You'll need this if we're to go to this thing together." she told him flatly as he glanced at the piece of paper she slapped onto the table in front of him before she smoothly walked away with hips swaying sexily and her feminine muscles flexing like a predatory feline on the hunt. His fork fell onto his plate making a loud clinking noise breaking him out of his reverie. He pocketed the little slip of paper that contained her cell number and her room number at the Plaza. This is good, isn't it? He asked himself while he programmed her cell number into his phone.
