Chapter two. For people in certain time zones, I am not late. This is getting posted on the 24th. Just not in my time zone...
It was the crying that had done it. And the promise to tell Kanae everything, but mostly the crying. After all, there was only so much wretched sobbing that a best friend could take before she caved and forgave. So Kanae had forgiven Kyoko and apologized for using harsh words at the Christmas party and invited Kyoko into her own home. And now she was very glad she did so, because apparently Kyoko was in a crisis.
"So you're actually in love with him?" Kanae asked, leaning up against the wall and watching Kyoko for any signs of panic or mania. The creature now hiccupping in the corner seemed very close to complete and total breakdown.
"No! Yes. Maybe…" Kyoko clutched her head and shook it savagely. "I'm always thinking about him, and sometimes… sometimes I imagine it. What it would be like if we were together. But I can never see the same thing twice, which is what scares me. I can't see it being reality. I always cut off partway because even though I can imagine what I would do, I can't picture him responding in any way."
"I can," Kanae grumbled. "I think your imagination runs a little too much on the pure side for you to manage it though." Kyoko turned red.
"But why would he want to even touch me?" she demanded. "I know I want to touch him sometimes. His hair, or his face, or his hands. And sometimes I…" She hesitated, choking a little. "I want to hug him. But if we aren't acting I can't see him wanting the same."
"Why wouldn't he love you?"
"Because I'm a plain and boring girl with no sex appeal. And no experience," she added with a sigh. "He said something once about me being a pure hearted girl and not doing anything to me because of it being troublesome if I were to cry. I don't think he sees me as mature enough to be a potential love interest. And I'm grateful!" she added forcefully. "If I have so little experience, he certainly has too much!"
"Well, I can't argue with that," Kanae agreed. "You don't hear about him having any girlfriends, but he's too much of a Casanova and too good at manipulating women to never have been in a relationship with one. Although, if he honestly said that he wouldn't lay his hands on you, I have to say he's pretty arrogant. He can barely keep his eyes off you. I don't know how he thinks he can be put alone in a room with you and not try and touch you."
"Moko-san, what are you talking about?"
"Mo, you're seriously going to sit there and tell me that you haven't once in all the times that he's stared at you, noticed anything at all? You haven't ever seen him look at you and wonder? He's a ladykiller. His eyes probably light up all funny when he's making a move." Kanae froze as Kyoko turned pale and shivered.
"There might have been… but it didn't seem like what you said. I mean…" she trailed off, clearly trying to think through this new way of looking at the situation. "It might have been the outfit," she mumbled, more to herself than anything.
"What outfit?" Kanae demanded. "What outfit did you wear that made him look at you like you were some kind of small animal he was about to devour."
"No, the devouring look was earlier," Kyoko said absently. "And that was much more scary because it was much more like a monster than a ladykiller."
"What. Did. He. Do?" Kanae growled. Kyoko jumped, recalling where she was.
"Oh, nothing! He never did anything. Well, the monster time he stepped over me and walked away, then grabbed me and pulled me into an alley to tell me it was him after I had recovered the feeling in my legs. But the other time he just took me to get new clothes. I think he realized I wasn't very comfortable in the ones I was wearing."
"What were you wearing?" Kanae asked, knowing she was not going to get any straight answers to such a confusing situation. Kyoko flinched.
"I can't really say," she hedged. Kanae raised a disbelieving brow. "Oh fine. It was a leather min skirt with this horrid top that was cut horribly low and didn't cover most of my waist." Kanae blinked, unable to imagine Kyoko in such an outfit.
"And he kept his hands off of you?"
"Of course! He doesn't see anything in me that would be attractive. He was probably just concerned with me wearing something that was so troublesome to move around in, and that had clearly made me uncomfortable."
"Why are you so dense?" Kanae demanded in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose and breathing slowly. "How on earth are you going to survive if you keep thinking like this?"
"Moko-san I don't think –"
"You're right. You don't think. You just do what you want and ignore other people's feelings. You're probably driving him crazy, acting like this all the time. Mo, you drive me crazy, don't you."
"Moko-san!" Kyoko gasped, distressed. "I didn't mean to! I swear! What did I do?"
"You take his feelings for granted," Kanae grunted. "Everything he does, you assume he's got this perfect, gentle reason for what he does and that he isn't being selfish at all. How long are you going to delude yourself into believing he has no ulterior motives when it comes to you?"
"Moko-san, I really don't think that Tsuruga-san loves me. I know that you think he acts jealous a lot and that he pays too much attention to me, but I think he just doesn't have any other friends. If he had a guy that he could hang out with, he'd probably spend much less time with me."
"You're hopeless," Kanae sighed. She watched Kyoko shift uncomfortably and shook her head. "Look, what are you going to do about this trip to Kyoto?"
"Well, part of it will be work," Kyoko said slowly. "So I don't think that will be too hard. I know what I'm supposed to do for my job, and knowing what to expect helps. As for the rest… I'm thinking of going to see Shotaro's parents."
"Really?" Kanae was shocked. She had not imagined that would be part of Kyoko's plans.
"Yes. The president wants us to make this a family Christmas, and they were the closest thing that I had to family and I owe them an explanation of why I left them with Sho instead of trying to convince him to stay."
"Do you think they'll be angry?"
"I think I don't want to think about it," Kyoko admitted, a cloud of gloom sinking over her brow as she tried to sink into the floor. "They gave me so much when I was younger, and I don't know if they want to have anything to do with me now."
"Sounds tough."
"I'm just glad Tsuruga-san will be there," Kyoko admitted. "He'll scold me for being silly and help me get through it without going crazy. But I'll probably need a shoulder to cry on when I get back," she said hopefully, her eyes sparkling at her friend. Kanae shook her head.
"You'd ruin my shirt. Use that playboy's shoulder. He probably has more shirts than he needs, and he'll be able to handle it. He's probably used to dealing with girls crying."
"Probably," Kyoko agreed with a sigh. Kanae said nothing else for several long moments. She was a little confused about what it was her job to accomplish here tonight. Kyoko needed to be aware of that guy's feelings, or she was going to put herself in danger by getting too close to him. But Kanae did not want to share her best friend with a guy. And she was not sure that Tsuruga Ren was worthy of Kyoko. The thing that confused Kanae the most was that she could not see Kyoko going through her life alone. Kanae was prepared for it. She did not want a family or children, and did not see the point in being in a relationship while she was trying to act. It would only complicate things. But Kyoko was such a wholesome girl, it seemed impossible that she would ever get into shallow relationships that were transient, or that she would die alone. Kyoko exuded an aura that screamed "potential bride." It was creepy, but Kanae thought that marriage would suit Kyoko fine.
That left one question. Who was she going to marry? Would it be Tsuruga? Or would some other man accomplish what he had failed to do, and convince Kyoko that she was a woman who could be loved.
It was too complicated to think about tonight.
"Wait here," Kanae said firmly. "I'll be right back." She returned to the room a few minutes later with a small cake box in one hand and a gift in the other. Kyoko's eyes grew wide with pleasure. "Here. There's two cakes, one for you and one for me. You pick first. I made sure they were both ones that I would feel safe eating."
"Moko-saaaaaaaan!" Kyoko squealed, throwing herself at her best friend and sobbing happily. "You're the best friend eveeeeer!"
Kanae stumbled, nearly dropping the cakes. "Mo! Would you be careful? I'm going to fall over! And here's your present!"
After splitting both cakes between them and Kyoko opening the new fashionable scarf that Kanae had bought for her, Kanae volunteered to brush Kyoko's hair for a while before they went to bed. Kyoko nearly died of happiness.
"My best friend is brushing, brushing my hair," she sang under her breath, giggling giddily every few minutes. Kanae rolled her eyes.
"Do you think you should dye it back?" she asked suddenly. Before you head down? What will the Fuwa's think?" Kyoko winced.
"I don't think they'll like it," she admitted. "But I don't want to dye it back just for them. It would be like putting myself in their power again. And I don't want that."
"I guess not. But if you don't dye it back, how will you know if Tsuruga likes your natural hair color?"
"Moko-san!"
~…~
It was a six hour drive to Kyoto and probably one of the worst trips of Ren's life. He and Kyoko had started early in a rented car, so that Ren would not be recognized, and she had proceeded to fall asleep right away. Ren was a mostly rational human being, and realized that if he kept sneaking looks at her sleeping face he would crash into something and probably kill them both. So he kept both eyes on the road. But the temptation to check on her naggled him.
Then, when she woke up, she would not speak to him. Ren tried every trick in the book to start a conversation, but she was quiet and brooding. When he asked if something was wrong she told him she would tell him later. The best response he got was when he asked her if her scarf was new, which elicited a violent description of the small party Kanae had thrown for her and of the wonderful hair brushing experience. But partway through this Kyoko cut off abruptly, frowning.
"Tsuruga-san?"
"Yes?"
"Is there something wrong with my hair?"
"No?" he said, uncertain why she was asking.
"Would it look better if I stopped bleaching it?"
"I think you hair looks good no matter how I've seen you wear it," he answered cautiously. "I don't think you need to worry about it too much."
"Oh."
His last attempt at conversation had been to ask her what her plans were once they stopped their roles as the Heel siblings. She was so evasive about the topic that he decided it would be best to just leave her be. Obviously she had plans. They did not appear to include him.
~…~
Setsu exited the salon with Cain, her arm linked through his, smiling blissfully. It had been far too long since they had spent any real time together. The car they had rented through the boss was parked on the curb, and Lillian, a friend of Jelly's, called a farewell from the shop, smiling at the couple that was exiting. Lillian might not have been as talented as her friend, but she had been a part of Lory's network for at least as long and had her share of secrets she was keeping. She had only been told to keep quiet about the identity of the Heel siblings, but she could tell her boss had other plans for this couple from the moment they walked in. She hoped that his plans worked. He tended to get more crazy as his projects elongated, and she was not sure it was safe to press him much further than this.
Cain entered the car and turned to his sister. "We've got some time before we need to check in for the night, but it might be good to park the car. You want to head to the hotel first?"
"I'll go wherever you want," she told him. "I don't mind walking back to the car from wherever if you don't want to check in yet. We just need to make sure you eat on time."
"Did you find any good restaurants you wanted to try while you were here? If we need the car to get to them, we can check in later."
"There's a good place near the hotel we're staying at. And some shopping. You want park the car for today and we'll go out further tomorrow?"
"Sounds good."
Checking into the hotel took a little while since Cain's overbearing personality triggered an angry response to the bellhop's ogling of Setsuka and he was less than rational when he approached the front desk. The receptionist was more than a little frightened and nearly gave them the wrong room key. Thankfully, he recognized his mistake and fixed it before they took their luggage upstairs. Setsuka collapsed onto one of the beds, sighing happily as her brother stashed their bags and checked the room, throwing her a set of keys.
"They gave us two rooms for some reason. You staying here or there?"
"I stay with you, silly."
"Should we get rid of the other room? If we're not going to use it?"
"Nah. Boss probably got it to make fun of us. We can charge him for it. Maybe we'll find a use for it before we leave."
"We sharing a bed tonight?"
"Well that depends on whether or not you finish your dinner," she answered with a coy smile. He answered with his own smile.
"Well that depends on if you pick a place with good food. I've have very specific tastes you know."
"I know. Alcohol and tobacco. Don't worry. I picked a place where you can smoke if you'd like."
"I thought you didn't like it when I smoked."
"I always love you."
"Always?" he asked, suddenly serious, walking over and grabbing her hands, pulling her up. She rolled her eyes.
"Always. I will always love you. Forever and ever. The most."
"I love you too," he whispered, pulling her into a hug. "The most. Forever and ever." Kyoko relaxed, allowing Setsuka to embrace her brother, memorizing the moment so she could look back on it someday. When all of this was over and her senpai did not put up with her anymore. "Let's go shopping," he said suddenly, patting her face a few times and dragging her towards the door. She tripped a bit trying to keep up and whined.
"Cain!"
~…~
Sestuka looked across the table as she kicked her brother's shin, frowning when he continued to ignore her. He took another sip of his drink and kept his eyes on the bags on the floor next to him. They contained the scandalous amounts of gifts he had bought for his sister in the two hours that they had been "window shopping" and constituted the better part of Kyoko's monthly paycheck. The worst part was that they were just cute enough Ren would probably get away with giving them to her when they were finished with this charade. It was the most expensive Christmas she had ever experienced, and she felt a bit ill knowing that she had no way to refuse him, even once their acting was over. Cain would not return the gifts, Tsuruga Ren could not, and even if Kyoko volunteered to, it was likely that Ren would guilt her into accepting them. He had strangely strong feelings about Kyoko returning the things Cain had bought for Setsuka.
"Cain."
"Yes?"
"I'm ready to go."
"You haven't had dessert."
"I'm on a diet." He frowned.
"There's nothing wrong with your weight. Who told you that?"
"It's my 'get my brother to stop spending too much money on me' diet. It involves me not ordering dessert when you've already bought me enough clothes to wear for a whole month."
"A month? It's barely enough to get you through a week, I thought. We'll need to get more tomorrow."
"Cain," she sighed, "you can't keep buying me stuff. It isn't good for me. I'll get spoiled."
"Impossible." Kyoko chewed her lip, fiddling with her fake lip piercing.
"I won't sleep with you tonight if you don't return some of the clothes and let me skip dessert." Cain stared at her for a long moment, that strange glint in his eyes. Kyoko swallowed, uncertain suddenly if it was really Setsuka's brother looking at her, or Tsuruga Ren. Something felt off, and she wondered if it was actually either of them.
"I'll return two pairs of pants and three of the shirts," he said slowly. "And the skull earrings."
"Deal," Setsuka answered. Kyoko was glad he was getting rid of the earrings. Setsuka might wear them, but Kyoko could not imagine an occasion that would call for her to do so. And they were real silver, so they had not been cheap.
After two quick stops to return the promised clothing, in which Setsuka convinced Cain to return another full outfit, the two of them made their way back to the hotel, holding hands. Cain went to shower while his sister unpacked. By the time she had finished, he had returned and she showered briefly before returning to the room. She found him sitting at the head of the bed, his eyes closed as he leaned up against the wall, mumbling under his breath. Setsuka approached and flopped into his lap, cuddling up and giggling when he pulled her into a tight hug, nuzzling her head and tickling her sides gently. She retaliated with a quick elbow to his ribs, and he responded by rolling over, pinning her to the bed as he hovered over her. Suddenly the light was back in his eyes.
"How old are you tonight?" he asked suddenly. Setsuka blinked.
"I'm seventeen, Cain. Same as last night. And the night before." The light disappeared. Cain wandered over to the other bed and got in, pulling the covers up over his head.
"You're on your own tonight," he told her. "For beating up on me when we were playing."
"That's not fair," Setsuka whined, while Kyoko breathed a sigh of relief. She had gotten used to sharing a sleeping space with Cain while they had been working when he seemed to be losing his mind. It was a little different now. She was glad that he had come up with an excuse.
"Your fault," he answered, curling up into his usual bugworm position. Kyoko said nothing else, but got under the covers without complaining. Maybe Setsuka would have tried harder, or joined Cain on the other bed. But this was supposed to be a wrap up party for her and Tsuruga-san. Encouraging Setsuka's bad habits would be counterproductive. Besides, tonight, Ren frightened her just a little.
~…~
Cain watched his sister sort through a clothing rack, mentally storing all the outfits that caught her eye. He would buy most of them while she went to try things on. It was his duty as an elder brother.
Ren, meanwhile, was racking his brain for what on earth he was going to give Kyoko for her birthday. He knew it was going to have to be something special, because with all the clothing he was going to force on her, if he tried anything traditional, it would be expensive and she would find some way to refuse it. He also wanted to celebrate in some way the fact that it was her eighteenth birthday. Just not the way the president wanted him to. Even if in the next forty-eight hours Ren managed to confess to Kyoko and she accepted him, he would not be asking her to dive headfirst into an incredibly intimate relationship with him. She would not be ready for it, and he had the feeling that barring his marriage to her, she would never be ready for it. That was just the kind of girl that Kyoko was.
He leaned against the window and glanced out at the street, the shop across the way catching his eye. It appeared to be some kind of costume shop. He gazed disinterestedly at the display until something caught his eye. He stared for a few moments, considered, then shook his head. There was no justification to purchase that.
Twenty minutes later, while Setsu was trying things on in a different store, Cain snuck into the costume shop and exited four minutes later with a bag draped over his arm, tucked behind the other bags for Setsuka.
Lunch was a grand affair, Cain picking the place and Setsuka looking around nervously at the posh surroundings. Kyoko knew that they were supposed to finish over lunch. They technically had the rest of the day to spend as siblings, but they had both agreed that ending as quickly as possible would be best for both of them. Lillian needed to change them back into their regular selves, and she wanted to take Christmas Eve off of work as well as Christmas day. The afternoon of the twenty-third was perfect. She would be closing early, and the Heel siblings would be her last customers.
"Cain, I thought I told you I was on a diet."
"This is our last meal together here in Japan. I thought it should be nice."
"I don't think you spending this much money on me is a good idea. It's like saying that you have to buy my love, or something. I love you anyways, you know." He took her hand as that sat down at their table.
"I know. But think of it from my perspective. If I'm a filthy rich actor who doesn't buy nice things for my sister and treat her like a princess, what kind of older brother am I?"
He had Kyoko at "princess." Setsuka might not have been what Kyoko typically thought of when people talked of fairytale princesses, but she was her brother's princess. Cain treated Setsuka royally, and Kyoko could buy into that. She just wished she was not the one benefitting from all of his generosity.
"How should we say goodbye to Japan?" Setsuka asked, sipping from her water glass after the waiter had taken their orders.
"We could visit Kyomizu-dera and see the Jishu-jinja."
"Why do we need to visit the love shrine?"
"I just thought it would be funny." Kyoko squirmed. Visiting a shrine known for matchmaking with Tsuruga Ren while he was acting as her brother seemed perilously close to blasphemous. Besides, as a girl who had sworn off of love, she had no reason to go there. She could see lightening shooting out of the sky to strike her down as she tried to pass through the gate.
"Were you going to guide me between the stones?" she asked mockingly, trying to hide her discomfort.
"Did you have someone else in mind? I don't imagine anyone else is going to be a good intermediary to finding you a romance. Or did you want to walk it alone and abandon me?"
"I just thought it was silly. But if you want to…"
~…~
A number of legends accompanied the Kyomizu temple in Kyoto, especially at the Jishu shrine. Two "love stones" were supposed to be popular tests for people interested in finding relationships. Walking to one in a straight line from the other marked a promising love future. Having a friend guide you meant an intermediary might be involved. An acceptable method was also to have your love interest guide you.
The idea of Ren, or Cain, helping Kyoko find her true love, or even be her true love, was more than a little frightening. But Cain had been oddly persistent. "Walking between the stones will be our journey in Japan," he had said. "From one point to the next. We did it together."
Kyoko had just nodded mutely.
It was cold, but not quite freezing. Kyoko huddled into her long coat as they climbed the steps to the shrine, wincing as they passed through the gate. She thought she heard Cain chuckle, but might have been mistaken. He seemed fairly serious. His hand when he took hers to guide her between the stones was firm, gripping a bit tightly.
"Just trust me. I'll tell you if you need to watch out for anything."
"I do trust you, Cain. I know you love me."
"Just don't forget it," he told her, tugging her forward as she scrunched her eyes closed even further. His grip never let up as he led her along, and Kyoko felt her fingers begin to tingle as the blood ran thin in them. There was also a warm feeling shooting up her arm, but she tried to ignore it. Before long he had stopped. "We're here."
She opened her eyes to look at the stone in front of them and swallowed slowly.
"We did it," she said quietly. "This is the end."
"And the beginning," he told her. Kyoko just sighed and let him pull her out of the way of the next person.
~…~
The car was silent. Ren had not been opposed to Kyoko's request that he drive her to the Fuwa's ryokan. He had watched her quietly as she had explained her situation and her desire. He had accepted her thoughts as rational and even complimented her on her rationality and behavior. But he also seemed to sense that this was difficult for her and did not make any further comment. When her hands started to tremble one of his clasped them firmly, but he still said nothing.
The entrance to the ryokan made Kyoko halt and close her eyes in a wordless prayer. Ren placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her an encouraging nod as she opened the door and stepped in.
Fuwa Setsuie was ready to greet her guests at the front entrance and bowed with a perfect grace that Ren could easily see Kyoko had learned from. Her smile for the new guests was perfect, her form and image pleasant, and her manner of greeting was flawless.
"Welcome. I hope you find your stay in our establishment comfortable. How can I help you today?"
"Setsuie-sama," Kyoko said timidly, bowing as naturally as she could and meeting the okami's eyes when she straightened again. There was a moment of confusion, then the dawning of comprehension, pleasure, and uncertainty as Sho's mother noticed Ren standing next to Kyoko, silent and imposing.
"Kyoko-chan. It's been a while, hasn't it? Is this your boyfriend?"
"Oh no. Tsuruga-san, this is Fuwa Setsuie, the okami-san of this ryokan. Setsuie-sama, this is my coworker and friend, Tsuruga Ren. He was kind enough to drive me out here since he had some business in Kyoto."
Setsuie looked between them for a long moment, then her smile brightened and she extended her hands towards Kyoko. "It's so good to see you again. We knew cutting ties with our son might keep you away, but my husband and I were hoping that you would come back. You had such a bright future and we were sorry to see you forced into such circumstances."
"Oh no," Kyoko demurred anxiously. "I really left all on my own at that time. And I left Sho on my own as well. I'm doing quite well now, as an actress. I just thought… I left so thoughtlessly after all that you and your husband had done for me. I wanted to apologize if I could, for everything."
"Thank you," Setsuie smiled. "Would you like to see how things are going on here? I know that you cared so much about our work here, and things have changed since you've been gone."
Kyoko blinked at the abrupt change in topic, but nodded and she and Ren began to follow the okami-san quietly.
It quickly became apparent to Ren even if it was not to Kyoko that Setsuie was trying to judge Kyoko's level of fitness as a future mistress of the establishment. The questions she put to Kyoko about the business were very pointed and demonstrated Kyoko's understanding very well. And once Kyoko began to show that her aptitude had not lessened, the truly troublesome comments began.
"This is where you and Shotaro used to hide when you wanted to skip out on lessons."
"Oh, do you remember when you would hide here during thunderstorms and Shotaro would sit with you?"
"You remember the family portraits? Shotaro proposed to you here, back when you were children, and promised this would be your family, didn't he?"
"Oh, we've expanded the baths again. Do you remember when we had the mixed bath and we would all bathe together as a family at the end of the day? You and Shotaro were so cute."
"Would you like to see the gardens? You and Shotaro used to play there together all the time. Even when he got older and had silly dreams, you would listen to him play out there, wouldn't you?"
Ren watched as Kyoko tried to explain that she and Sho had had a falling out, but Setsuie was relentless, smiling cheerfully and shaking her head at her foolish son.
"Really, he shouldn't have been so stubborn. He's always liked you the best of all the girls he knows. If only he would apologize. I'm sure he regrets it now. Just like leaving here. He must understand that he can't be a musician forever. I'm sure if he understood that my husband and I would forgive him if he came back, and if he felt like he had something sure to come back to, he would be done with his silly little dream."
"Sho doesn't take his work as a musician any more seriously than he took his lessons here," Kyoko admitted. "But he's very serious about being an entertainer. And he's serious about each of his songs. He does things his own way, but I don't think leaving for Tokyo made him miss this very much."
"Give him time," Setsuie said breezily. "He's still a child. He'll get older, understand his position. Want something more stable." Ren could tell that Kyoko was skeptical, but she did not argue any further. She simply followed Sho's mother through the gardens, glancing off in one direction from time to time. Ren had a feeling he knew what was distracting her. He used a moment when Setsuie was summoned by one of the other girls working at the ryokan to talk to Kyoko.
"You look like you need an escape," he smiled. "Should I stall her while you go and visit your fairy prince?" Kyoko blushed and shook her head.
"I can't leave you here," she answered quietly. "She'll probably try and probe you for information."
"I've been dealing with reporters and interviews for years. I can handle her. And you want to go visit that place, don't you? Even if he isn't there? Because you still love it?" Kyoko nodded.
"Do you mind?"
"Go," he urged. "Even if he isn't there, you might still find some magic. I'll handle things here."
"Thank you," Kyoko whispered as Setsuie returned.
"Is something wrong?" she asked as Kyoko hurriedly stepped away from Ren.
"Mogami-san was just saying that there was some place she meant to visit," he answered easily. "But she did not want to interrupt you."
"Oh Kyoko, if you want to head into the east garden, that's just fine. I know you have some special memories with Sho there from the winter. I'll take Tsuruga-san inside and get him some supper. You can join us when you're ready."
"Oh, we shouldn't impose," Kyoko protested. She was overruled.
"It's just some food. I'm sure Tsuruga-san is hungry. There's so much of him to feed. I'll make sure he gets plenty to eat." Kyoko looked horrified, but Ren thanked Setsuie sincerely and shooed Kyoko off.
"I'll be fine," he told her as she tried to object. "This is the man who taught you how to cook and the master of a kitchen in a high class establishment. I'm sure he'll cook excellent food. Go ahead."
Kyoko took off and Ren fell into step beside Setsuie. There was a long stretch of silence between them as they wandered the garden for a bit longer. She spoke eventually.
"Does Kyoko have many friends in Tokyo?"
"Several. She's becoming very popular as an actress. She'll do very well for herself as long as she wants to act. And I see her acting for a long time. She loves it."
"She's told you that?"
"Among other things."
"How often does she see my son, do you know?"
"Not often. The last time she saw him was back in March."
"How neglectful of him."
"I don't think he cares about her very much," Ren commented. "Not enough to keep a close eye on her."
"Maybe he feels that he doesn't need to. She's always been very attached to him."
"Maybe she was. But Kyoko has been acting for almost two years now and I've know her for the better part of that time, and I can say for certain that she is not the same girl that she was when she started acting. I think it would be… unwise for your son to assume he has the same place in her life anymore."
"And you think someone else has taken it?"
"I think that is an open issue. But I think there are other people that want it."
"She could have a great life here. She would be comfortable. She knows this world. She knows this place."
"She does. But that doesn't mean she wants to stay here."
"You sound sure of that, Tsuruga-san. Stardom may be well and good for you, but Kyoko-chan is a very meek girl. I don't think too much popularity would suit her well. It would make her uncomfortable."
"As long as she feels loved, Kyoko is happy wherever she is," Ren said firmly. "As long as she feels cared for and needed, she makes the best of any and all of her circumstances. She is a capable woman, Setsuie-san."
"I know. She is the only woman I know capable of controlling my son."
"That isn't the only thing she is capable of doing."
"It is the most significant to me, Tsuruga-san."
"Of course."
~…~
Pushing aside the last few branches Kyoko sighed unhappily. She knew Corn was not going to be here, but she had hoped. She needed his reassurance and magic just now. His stone was not working as well as it once had. Though she supposed that Corn had never promised it would take away an inconvenient crush on Japan's Number One Bachelor, only her sadness and tears. She felt a bit cheated on that account.
"Corn, are you flying freely?" she asked the empty air. Her breath flew in little foggy clouds, reaching to the sky. The clearing was almost silent without birdcall and the stream plodding along sluggishly in the cold, caught by the overflow of the fall leaves that had built up in its waters. It was an empty place. Dead. There was no magic here. Kyoko pulled her coat tighter and turned back, shivering. She wanted to get back to the inn. She needed to rescue Ren. And maybe he could save her from the chill that was starting to set into her bones.
~…~
"Well, that was an interesting visit," Ren commented as they drove back to their hotel. "And educational. I didn't realize you knew so much about running a ryokan."
"I was going to take the position of okami-san and Sho's wife," Kyoko grumbled, rubbing her hands together in front of the heater. In spite of taking time to eat dinner and warm up, she was still cold. "I had to know those sorts of things."
"Are your hands alright?"
"I should have worn gloves when I went out," she confessed. "But they'll be alright soon."
"Did you enjoy your outing?"
"It was a bit of a letdown," she admitted. "I guess I really thought he would be there. I don't know why. I have no reason to believe that. Maybe I was hoping for a miracle."
"Well, it is Christmas. It makes sense to expect a miracle at some point, don't you think?"
"I guess. But this one was kind of silly."
"Maybe you should go again tomorrow," Ren suggested, knowing he was making a foolish mistake. "You could check again."
"Do you think he'll come?" she asked hopefully. Ren hesitated.
"I think he wouldn't want you to have bad memories of the place you met him. You should go and see if he is there and see if you feel better about it tomorrow."
"Would you come with me?" she asked.
"To the clearing?"
"Well, no. I guess… I don't think you really belong there," she admitted apologetically.
"I don't," Ren agreed. There was only one person who belonged there, and even if they shared a body, Ren knew that he and Kuon were as different as night and day. Heck, Kuon and Corn were barely relatable. "But I would be happy to drive you if you need a ride."
"Thank you."
~…~
Kyoko twirled her cup of tea in her hands and stared at the floor, ignoring the chatter around her. Setsuie had convinced Ren and Kyoko to stay for the Christmas party that night after Kyoko had visited her grove. They had accepted, but now Ren wished they had not. He could not be certain since she had moved into the other room last night and the walls were fairly thick between them, but he was fairly sure she had cried herself to sleep last night. He did not think she would have a good night tonight either, and he had not had a chance yet to talk to her about her trip into the woods beyond her brief explanation of, "He wasn't there."
Which Ren had known would be true.
"Something else to drink?" Fuwa Takahiro asked, offering Ren a cup. Ren had been avoiding the alcohol being passed around so far, knowing he would have to drive Kyoko later, but it had gotten late enough that they had been invited to stay the night and he was tempted. He knew his limits, so he accepted he cup with a grateful nod. As he did, something else was placed into his hand. "I confiscated that from one of the young girls who works here. I think she was planning to catch you in the hall with it."
Ren looked down at the bit of green and white shrubbery in his hands and sighed. "Thank you. That would have been difficult."
"No problem. It's part of my job to look after all of my guests. She doesn't look too good, does she?" he asked casually.
"Excuse me?"
"Kyoko-chan. She looks like she's not having a very good day. Normally she's happy about the Christmas party, and she's not so petty as to be sorry that we aren't celebrating her birthday on such short notice. Do you know what's wrong?"
"I have an idea," Ren admitted, offering his cup to Takahiro to refill. "But I don't think there is anything that anyone can do to make it better."
"That's too bad. I know my wife is excited about having her back, but if she had a falling out with our son, she can't be full of warm fuzzy feelings being back here. I wish she weren't so dutiful. I think she would be happier somewhere else. Somewhere that my wife wasn't telling complete strangers about all the time she used to spend with our son when they were young."
"Do you want her to marry him?"
"Are you kidding? It would be the nicest thing she could do for us. But I wouldn't wish the man that he is on any woman right now. And I'm not sure I would ever waste a woman as good as her on him. It isn't just her skill," he added. "We need a good woman to take over this place someday. But he isn't emotionally well rounded enough to take care of her where she most needs it. He believes in living his life following his own flow, which works for him. But Kyoko needs someone more constant, who can easily put her first and build his structure around her needs."
"She's had too many people walk out on her," Ren agreed.
"She's a good kid," Takahiro said, smiling fondly. "It was a lot of fun raising her. And it would be great if she wanted to come back here and take care of this place. But I don't see it happening."
"I hope not," Ren mumbled, eliciting a laugh from his host.
"No. I guess you wouldn't." He looked Ren over critically. "How stable of a guy would you say you are?"
"About as stable as gravel," he confessed. "I'm afraid there are days that I think she's just about the only thing holding me together."
"Well, she's good at being reliable," Takahiro admitted. "And as long as you'll always needs her, that's a kind of stability."
"I try not to imagine my world without her in it."
"Does she know that?"
"Not a clue."
"Tell her."
"I think she'll run away screaming," Ren confessed, accepting another glass.
"Tell her anyway," Takahiro told him. "And then run after her as fast as you can. Tackle her to the ground and hold her there until she gives you a straight answer. There are women that can take subtle hints and trust in words the first time you say them. She's not one of them. But she's worth convincing. Even if she runs away the first hundred times you tell her, go after her and tell her again."
"Well, it can't work any worse than what I've been doing so far," Ren sighed.
"I'm going to get this party wrapped up," Takahiro said firmly. "You put her to bed. My wife is a good business woman, but she is a bit pushy, and Kyoko doesn't need that right now. Put her to bed and let her recover. It's almost midnight anyway. Let her start her eighteenth birthday on a good note."
It took some maneuvering, but Ren eventually managed to get to Kyoko's side before Takahiro helped his wife direct their guests to bed. Kyoko showed Ren down the hall towards the family quarters where they would be staying. Kyoko would have her old room and Ren would get Sho's, since his bed was the only one left in the house large enough for a man of Ren's size, even if it was just barely.
"How are you doing?" Ren asked as they approached their rooms. "Was it worse today?"
"I guess I'm just being silly," Kyoko said with a hollow laugh. "But I really wanted him to be there. I feel like I really need a miracle right now. Something crazy to happen."
"Go tomorrow," Ren urged. "We have to drive back in the evening, and the president promised a surprise in the afternoon, but you have the morning."
"I don't think I want to be disappointed again," she admitted. Ren made a decision then and there that he knew was going to change the entire course of his life. He just hoped it would be worth it.
"You won't be," he promised, checking his watch briefly. Then he reaches out to stop Kyoko from walking into her room and leaving him behind. She turned to face him, a little confused. "Happy eighteenth birthday Kyoko." She smiled.
And then Ren realized that he was still holding the mistletoe in the hand that had reached over her head. It was probably a mix of that, her smile, and the small amount of alcohol he had consumed. And the president's words dancing around somewhere in the back of his head. But whatever the equation was, it was just the right combination of crazy and courage to make him lean in and kiss her softly. He held the kiss for a moment and pulled away slowly, noticing her heightened color and wide eyes. But even those danger signs could not entirely wipe away the feeling of blissful content that was slowly pulsing through him now.
"Happy birthday," he said again. He waved the mistletoe in her face. "And Merry Christmas. I hope you get your miracle."
Then he turned and entered into Sho's old room, pulling out his phone and beginning to hunt down a number. In the room next to him, Kyoko leaned up against the wall, gasping for breath and hoping that she would be able to sleep at all that night. She did not have the strength to be angry. She was much too confused and terrified of the electric feeling shooting through her just then.
And end chapter two. I will try and get the next chapter posted on time tomorrow. On time being actually tomorrow. Before the 26th. In my time zone. Which technically means getting another chapter posted today.
Thanks to all of my reviewers and to Will, who stayed up into the wee hours of Christmas morning to help me bring this to you. If there are any errors, I apologize and blame it on lack of sleep for both of us. We will be fixing them as soon as our eyes stop blurring all the letters on the screen together. Happy Holidays!