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Chapter Two
She just had to keep dicing, that was all. Just keep dicing the vegetables. She didn't have to concentrate on the complete and utter hopelessness of the situation she was currently in. Maybe there was still hope anyway. After all, Cinderella had been in a terrible situation and she was saved by a fairy godmother and lead to a life of charm and luxury.
Well knowing my luck my fairy godmother would be killed by Rumpelstiltskin and I would be tricked into signing my soul away to hell! Kyoko cursed inwardly, and her dicing became a bit more furious.
Ren, meanwhile, wasn't having much luck getting her out of her mood- and that had only served to darken his. Whatever had happened to her to get her into such a state must have been caused by that damned musician. How he longed for the days when Fuwa was just a blip on his radar.
Still, he wouldn't give up.
'So, that script that you brought with you, is it for a new role?' He asked in what he hoped was a flippant manner, resting his chin on his hand and leaning forward over the table (he had offered to help and she had actually slapped his hand away with a spatula).
Kyoko stopped dicing and for a moment he thought he had her distracted enough so that he could swoop in and brighten her mood.
'Yes.' She replied after about a minute of silence and it was probably the most miserable sounding confirmation he'd ever heard from her. Despite this his heart leapt a bit. Maybe he'd been wrong, maybe it wasn't about Fuwa after all.
'Do you want to talk about it?'
Kyoko sighed, pouring the chopped up vegetables into the saucepan and placing the lid on top. After that she walked over to the table, bringing her drink of water with her and doing seemingly anything possible to avert her eyes from him. 'It should be done in about thirty minutes or so, it just needs to boil- and then the sauce will start to thicken.' She stated robotically as she took a seat opposite him.
Ren raised his eyebrow. 'That didn't exactly answer my question, but I suppose I can take the hint.'
Kyoko glanced up at him, her lower lip sticking out into the tiniest of pouts and Ren found himself instantly fixated on it. He couldn't help it. It was so adorable he didn't know how he resisted taking her in his arms, carrying her off to his bedroom (she would probably protest about the dinner getting ruined but to hell with it) and spending all night showing her how much loved that pout, along with every other bit of her. After all, despite the fact that it had all been an act, he was very much aware that her cute side covered up what could only be described as a hidden temptress- one he could spend hours of his life coaxing out of her shell with kisses, touches, licking...sucking...
'It's not that I don't want to tell you.' Kyoko's voice violently jerked Ren out of his musings on what he'd do to Imaginary Kyoko and he suddenly felt a rush of guilt. Here she was having what was clearly a great inner crisis and what was he doing? Shamelessly fantasising about her when she was sitting only a few feet from him! Hadn't he learned to control himself by now? He took a sip of water to cool himself down, only realising afterwards that it was- in fact- Kyoko's water.
Ren mentally kicked himself for how stupidly he was behaving, and was about to apologise and go get her a new glass when Kyoko absent-mindedly picked up the glass and took a sip from the very place his lips had been moments before.
His breath hitched. Did she just-?
Ren shook his head and attempted to compose himself. She had obviously been too deep in thought to realise what had just occurred. Or maybe it was a left over reflex from their days acting as Cain and Setsu? Whatever it was, it didn't mean anything. It didn't mean anything. It. Didn't. Mean. Anything.
Kyoko, completely oblivious to Ren's inner struggle, frowned and tried to focus on the right way to say what she wanted. She wished her heart would calm down, that he throat would relax. Why was it so difficult? She'd never acted this way around Sho. But then- she supposed- she hadn't known any better then. She had accepted these disgusting feelings once upon a time. That HAD to be why she couldn't keep calm. Her spirit was fighting against this emotion with all its might. Of course her body would be on edge. She looked up at Ren again, knowing if she kept acting strangely around him he'd probably get suspicious. Most likely he already was.
Kyoko took a great shuddering breath, hoping the gods of fate would give her a chance.
'It's a romance role.'
The air around them suddenly seemed to get a lot more dense and she wasn't exactly sure why. Her mind unwillingly flittered back to that night. The image of Setsu straddled over Cain's hips. It was like a thousand little pixies carrying knives suddenly attacked her consciousness, and she had to fight not to groan in embarrassment. Of all the ways she could have calmed her brother's spirit that night, why did it have to be a way that burned the pure Kyoko with mortification every time she thought about it?
Ren coughed awkwardly. Not entirely sure what to do with his hands. When she'd revealed what was bothering her, they instantly made to touch her reassuringly. He had to calm down those urges. They weren't Cain and Setsu anymore. They were Kyoko and Ren. And Kyoko and Ren, he thought bitterly, didn't do those sorts of things. He was pretty sure she'd create a Kyoko-shaped hole through his front door if he so much as placed one finger on her.
He inwardly kicked himself for the second time that night, realising that Kyoko was looking at him expectantly. He was focusing on his own problems. He'd been doing that too much recently. Once again he reaffirmed to himself that he would always be there for her, even if he wanted more from her than she would ever be willing to give him.
'Ah, and you are nervous?' He asked with a slightly inquisitive tilt. Kyoko noticed him watching her with great intensity, and she bit her lip.
'Not nervous exactly, just confused I suppose. I'm not entirely sure what the director expects of me.' She said remembering what Sawara-san had told her earlier in the day.
'The story is a three-part drama, and I play a young woman named Yui. She had previously been engaged to a man named Kaito who the police are now investigating- as they believe him to be part of a criminal gang responsible for hacking into banking systems and stealing a great deal of money. Initially she is treated as a suspect, because she'd known the man most of her life. But eventually it is revealed that Kaito left her on their wedding day three months ago and she has had little contact with him since.'
It was here Kyoko frowned, still unable to wrap her head around her characters motivations and beliefs. She carried on 'She continues on with her life, currently studying a degree in computer technology. She is a smart woman, a capable and independent one, but she has been deeply hurt by Kaito and feels betrayed. Yet still she refuses to give up on the idea of love, and she enters into a romance with the man in charge of the investigation- a man named Takumi and together they help stop the crime ring. She's terrified of being hurt, but by the end she has overcome her problems and is together with Takumi. I don't understand that. Why any smart woman would want to accept love again after being hurt so badly before...'
Ren watched Kyoko trail off, deep in her own thoughts and he couldn't help but wonder to himself just what exactly that bastard musician had put her through. If he had yen for every time he thought this, his wealth would exceed the entire world leaders combined. But along with those bitter thoughts came a ray of hope. Maybe this was the role she needed; much like his first romantic role was one that he had needed. This seemed to have the President's mark all over it. To perform this role in a believable way, that surely meant that she would have to accept love back into her life. And finally graduate from the Love Me section. But why would he allow her to have this role now? It was clear she was no closer to accepting the emotion.
He realised Kyoko was still swimming in her own thoughts, and decided to give her advice that he once received by his father. 'Well isn't that the wonder of being an actor? You get to answer these questions yourself. By becoming the character, you get to answer why she would want to accept love, why she is willing to not forsake it entirely. It's up to you to make it believable. You have to see things from the characters point of view.'
Kyoko looked up at him again relieved that, for the time being at least, they had reverted into the comfortable Sempai-Kohai role they'd had before this whole mess had started. She even dared sigh with relief. Finally her heart and mind seemed to relax. This was how she knew Tsuraga-san best after all. This was how she would continue to know him. This is the best I'm going to get she thought bitterly for a second, and then cursed herself for thinking such a foolish thought. She wasn't hoping for anything else, she was perfectly comfortable leaving things the way they were. Forever. End of story.
'I know, I will have to find a way of understanding her. It's so difficult; the character has an opinion that's completely different to my own.'
Ren raised his eyebrow again, commenting dryly 'And you've never had to act that way before? I suppose you enjoy being a bully like Natsu? Or a bitter, manipulative socialite like Mio?' Or a seductive, barely dressed temptress like Setsu? He nearly bit his tongue off stopping himself from saying the last part out loud.
Kyoko shifted uncomfortably in her seat. 'I can see what you mean, it's just that- well they are all negative emotions. And this-'
'You'll find a way to see things from her point of view. Trust in yourself. You made Mio and Natsu your own; you made Setsu your own. You have always had the ability, so don't doubt yourself. Try your best, that's all anyone ever asks of you. And I am sure you'll be fine.' He reassured with a gentle smile.
'You really think so?' Kyoko asked, looking at him with large expectant eyes. He chuckled slightly.
'I know so. You'll be fine.' He nodded.
Kyoko smiled her first true smile in what seemed like forever. His reassurances, his faith in her, made her feel like she could do anything she set her mind to. Not that she needed to rely on him to gain confidence. That was ridiculous. She didn't need anybody to tell her that she could do a job. She just wanted to be fantastic at it. She wanted to give one hundred and ten percent to the role. She wanted to prove that she could do more than act like a bully. Though she had doubts she could perform a role based around an emotion that she had sworn to be rid of forever, she knew she could do it if she really tried. She just had to become Yui, the same way she had become all her other roles.
She couldn't lie to herself though. It did lift her spirits, knowing that there were people around her who supported her, that told her to go for her dreams. It was nice having people who believed in her. It was especially touching coming from such an amazing actor as Tsuraga-san. That was why her heart was currently soaring, why she felt like she could dance among the stars- having the respect and faith of a superior actor. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Tsuraga-san who had so much faith in her. That was simply preposterous.
When did things get so complicated?
'Is that all that was bothering you?' Ren said. Neither of them noticed that he had taken another sip from Kyoko's glass of water.
Kyoko frowned. 'Yes. I mean no. I mean-' she sighed and decided to approach the topic differently. 'Do you remember when you were stuck trying to figure out your role for Katsuki in Dark Moon? And you asked me to help?'
Ren's heart began to beat just a tiny bit faster, and he took another sip of water. 'Yes...' his voiced wavered a little and he inwardly rolled his eyes at himself. So much for the cool, confident Tsuraga-san.
'Well, the characters of Yui and Takumi fall in love, but their relationship is very um- flirtatious.' She said, trying to flight the blush demons currently invading her cheeks. 'They aren't serious all the time, and they're quite a playful couple. But- I don't know how to act that way comfortably. I don't know the first thing about flirting.'
Ren covered his mouth with his hand, giving off the impression that he was stroking his face in thought. In reality he was trying to keep his smile hidden. 'I see...and you want me to help?'
'Well, it's as I've said- I don't know anything about flirting! I don't know anything about being in a couple, much less being in a playful relationship. And I know that you have playboy tendencies-'
Where on Earth does she get these opinions of me? Ren thought, his eyebrow twitching.
'- and I know someone like you must have experience in that kind of area. I suppose what I'm asking is, Tsuraga-san...how exactly, does one...flirt?' If her face wasn't red before, it most definitely was now.
Kyoko watched for her Sempai's reaction, and took a sip of her water whilst she did so. He was sitting across from her- looking as though he was deep in thought. This was such a stupid idea. She wanted to curse Sawara-san for suggesting it. Any moment now she was going to be laughed out of the door, she was sure of it.
Ren, on the other hand, was wondering how many times he could bang his head on the table in frustration without sustaining a concussion and missing work. Honestly he wasn't sure whether to be happy that he finally had the chance to flirt with her shamelessly, under the pretence of helping her work, or curse that he had to teach her to flirt back. Of all the fantasies he had of the two of them getting closer, this was most certainly not one of them.
Then there was the other part of him, the part that told him if he engaged in flirting with her, he wouldn't be able to stop, and his true feelings for her would reveal themselves. He might lose her forever if that was the case; scare her off never to return. The phrase "playing with fire" sprang to mind. But he had made a vow to always be there for her when she needed him.
It was at that moment the saucepan started to boil over and Kyoko leapt up in a panic, spilling the glass of water the two had been inadvertently sharing over the table. Not noticing this, she ran to the stove and began to fix up dinner whilst Ren sighed and mopped up the water with a table cloth.
'So you would like me to teach you how to flirt?' He said finally, glancing over at her. She had stopped stirring the contents of the stove and hung her head, trying to hide the fact that she was still blushing.
'Yes. I know it is a lot to ask, so of course I understand if you say no. I'm sure I can figure this out on my own eventually and I-'
'It's alright.' Ren interrupted her. 'I'll help.'
Her eyes snapped up to him and even the stove seemed to stop silent.
'You will?' Kyoko asked, slightly sceptical. 'Are you sure?'
Ren laughed at that. 'Yes I'm sure. I doubt it'll take you too long to pick up.' He grinned and stepped closer to her, leaning down to her level. His gaze darkened and his smile turned playful, seductive even. Kyoko gulped, suddenly feeling like trapped prey. The next words he spoke dripped from his mouth like pure honey, like liquid gold. 'I have every confidence in your abilities.'
Kyoko's whole body turned tomato-red and she began stuttering thanks, trying to keep her head cool to no avail. Her hands shook violently, causing the spatula in her hand to whack against the stove repeatedly. It was no good. This whole situation was going to do horrible things to her health. This was the worst idea in the history of the universe.
Ren laughed again and she pouted, getting the distinct feeling she was being mercilessly teased.
'That was lesson number one.' He replied standing back up to full height, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
Ren continued to laugh, even as he dodged the barrage of tea-towels thrown in his direction.
So what did you guys think of this chapter? I'm trying to get across that their both in that really awkward phase of both being aware of their feelings, but not being aware that the other loves them, whilst still trying to keep them in character. I have to say I love writing their interactions and I hope I'm doing a good job of it. Please review and let me know if I'm doing well with it!
Also if anybody got the reference to Once Upon a Time- free cookie for them! :D let me know if you did!