AN: so another short ficlet for this series. I just came up with it in the past hour. Why is it the fics that have been sitting in my head for weeks never get written, but these random scenes just won't let me go? ::sigh:: c'est la vie, I guess. Anyway, no Kyoko in this one, just Kanae and a lot of Ren angst. It's probably not healthy how much I enjoy Ren's angst. Also, maybe some Ren/Kanae if you squint.

Easy to Pretend

He ran into her in Hawaii of all places. The Spring Fashion shows had wrapped up earlier that week in New York, Paris and Milan and some of the sponsors and designers had decided an official vacation was in order to celebrate. Only the select few were invited of course, but he shouldn't have been surprised that Kotonami Kanae had been included among them. Her roles on the large and small screens had increased her exposure and it was really only a matter of time before advertisers cashed in on her striking figure.

Still, it had been years since he'd seen her in the flesh. Not since he'd left Japan for Hollywood and shed his gentlemanly persona and false name. She still had her signature long black hair, hanging straight and smooth against her slim back. He opened his lips to call out to her and remembered a nickname he should have long forgotten. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"Kotonami-san." She cocked her head and turned only partially towards him.

"Yes?" her eyes traveled from his shoes, to his belt and finally to his face before recognition dawned on her. "Tsu-Hizuri-san!" Her eyes scanned his rapidly, no doubt wondering what reason he could have to approach her. "What brings you over to mingle with us no-names?" He grinned faintly at that.

"What kind of senpai would I be if I didn't check in on my kohais every now and then?" Kanae stiffened at that comment and he knew she was remembering a very specific kohai of his. He didn't know why he was torturing himself by talking to her when every gesture or comment and even the flash of her eyes would remind him of her best friend, remind him of those times at LME when all he had to was walk into the LoveMe lounge to see her.

"If you're looking for information, I haven't got any," she gave him a hard look before knocking back the cocktail in her hand in one swift swallow. "I haven't spoken to her since last year." That was more info than he had. The last time he'd even seen her face to face was three years ago, when she'd told him-no he didn't need to think about that right now. He gestured to the bartender for another drink for Kanae and himself and slid into the stool next to hers.

"Last year? You must be very busy then. Congratulations," he murmured. Her eyes flashed as she turned fully to face him.

"That has nothing to do with it and you know it. I stuck by her in the beginning because I thought that it was what she needed to be happy. And when they broke up I was there for her too. But I'm not going to stand by and let her engage in this ridiculous yo-yo relationship and I told her as much. As I'm sure you see, she chose the bastard." His grip tightened on his glass as she alluded to him, that other guy. The press ate up the volatile on-again off-again chemistry between the bad-boy rocker and the girl-villain everyone loved to hate "Whatever, I'm better off without all of the drama." He looked up and watched her as she mumbled the last bit into her drink unconvincingly. She turned her penetrating glance on to him. "You haven't taken on too many roles lately. Turning 'em down now that you've made it big?"

"Something like that." Truth was, with his looks, everyone wanted him to take on romantic lead roles, despite the fact that it was his role as BJ that made him famous on the other side of the Pacific. But every romance film, dark or light, reminded him of Dark Moon...and her.

"She noticed, you know." His heart skipped a beat and lodged somewhere in his throat and he whipped his head up to gape at her. "After that first movie you got in Hollywood, you took a pretty long break before doing that Armandy ad. And when she saw that, she kept asking me if I thought you'd lost weight. It was-"

"Stop. Please," He felt like there was vice in his chest. He didn't want to hear anymore. This was a stupid thing to do. Why did he walk over here? He thought it was behind him. He thought he'd let it go. Why wouldn't it just end? He wanted to let go of her so badly. His painful desperation must have been evident because she suddenly looked contrite.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, resting her hand on his. "I shouldn't have told you all that. I-" she lowered her eyes and her hand slipped away, "I haven't had anyone to talk to in a while." He grimaced sympathetically, finding a sliver of his pain reflected in her words. She straightened up suddenly and tugged at his elbow. "Hey, let's dance or get some air or something. Sitting in front of the bar is making us all mopey."

He could do that, he could take a turn with a beautiful woman and try to forget the reason he'd approached her in the first place. It was the bare honesty that hurt, but he could pretend very well. It was a skill he'd perfected during his years in Japan. He could pretend right now that he wasn't going along with her because she was his only link to her. It would be easy.