Apologies for the wait, and to anyone who caught this chapter when I uploaded it earlier this week. For anyone who read that chapter, you can skip this. The chapter is pretty much the same. Honestly I'm still not crazy about it, but I feel better about it now than I did earlier. (I even had a nightmare about my latest chapter; it was a sign for me to pull it.) I honestly felt like I forgot how to write. Not that I was too lazy or too busy to, but that the words didn't connect. It's hard to explain.
Kyoko followed 'her manager' at a submissive trot, keeping her head down as if walking to the gallows. She swayed side to side, as the environment around her grew dimmer. Glancing back, Ren could tell the school girl wasn't fooled. He hadn't expected her to be, after all, she had been able to see through his Cain disguise almost immediately. Still, the fact that her partner was able to see through it as well surprised him. He for one had been sure of his obnoxious get up, but apparently the Love Me girls were more observant than the average show business worker.
It was rare that he was able to walk freely like this, late afternoon on a weekday without any major appointments scheduled of him. The gossip magazines hadn't stopped running the story yet, and Ren found his usually packed schedule was lighter than usual. He frowned heavily at the thought. If things continued like this, the President would get involved. At least today, it had fit his plans.
Once they reached the front gate, Ren turned to his kohai. Realizing he had stopped, she put her arms up in deflection, waiting for the blow to fall. He frowned. She probably thought he came to berate her.
"Where's the nearest subway?" Ren asked simply.
Pulling her arms away hesitantly, she looked up and down the street in surprise and confusion. "Um, it's just north of here…but where's your car Tsuruga-san?"
"I don't have my car today…" Ren gave her the glittery smile he usually did, before he turned to senpai mode. She took several unconscious steps back, pressing herself up again the school fence post. "…and don't you think if you address me by that name, people might recognize me?"
Her face fell, as the thought dawned on her. She straightened up and cleared her throat. "Ano…Ren-sama?" His risen eyebrow showed his dissatisfaction. Her voice rose higher in fear. "Ren-san…?" "Kyoko…" Ren's voice held its common warning tone.
She looked away and murmured something indistinct.
"Excuse me?" Ren chuckled and leaned closer, putting his hand on the brick wall behind her. "I'm afraid I couldn't hear you Kyoko...or should I call you Peach-chan?"
Kyoko's face blushed, her mouth falling agape. She surprised him when she crossed her arms and turned her embarrassed face away from him. "If you call me Peach" Her voice sounded slightly annoyed now, and reminded him of when she was cast to be his edgy sister. "…I'll call you Corn."
A short silence slipped between them, as a car drove past. He kept his gaze on her, and she bit her lip in agitation. Finally, he broke the silence with an undistinguishable low "hmm." Her face fell, and she swiveled with the speed of a racecar. Bowing multiple times, she burst into comedic ashamed tears.
"I'M SORRY TSURUGA-SAN! I DIDN'T MEAN TO ACT SO ARROGANT!"
Ren smiled at her hysterical antics and pulled back. "Okay, call me Corn then." Kyoko paused suddenly, and looked up at him with a stunned face. "Really, I don't mind. I actually came today so I could treat you to an apology. If you want to call me Corn, it's fine with me." With an aloof attitude, he started striding up the block, leaving her behind in her shock.
"Wait..wait… Ren-san!" The young girl finally said his name in exclamation, and ran to catch up to him. He didn't turn around, but he smiled at the small success.
Ren easily walked through the busy streets, naturally parting the mass of people with his tall frame. He watched her nimbly weave her body side-to-side, trying to avoid the crush of bodies in the tourist section of Tokyo. He kept his stride short, so she could keep up with him. Kyoko petite height, along with her common hair colour could make her easy to lose in the mess of people. If he had to try to find her, he would have to call out to her; it would bring too much attention to the two of them.
"Look look! It's the Kyurara girl!"
"You're right, it really is!"
"Can I have your autograph?"
A small crowd of people spotted the young actress from the Kyurara commercial, still playing on one of the oversized advertisement screens. He paused when a few random strangers caught her in fan base excitement. Her school uniform did look somewhat like the commercial. Ren watched in light amusement as she signed autographs with a charming, self-conscious blush.
He hadn't said a word as they rode the underground railway together, though she had tried to apologize repeatedly. She only gave up when he turned to her with a false smile. Since then, she had stayed in arm's reach of him, but hadn't gotten too close. Ren purposefully turned down any conversation she tried to start. If he had said something, she might ask where they was heading to. If she did he'd have to tell her, and she certainly would have fought the whole way.
Ren stopped in front of an ordinary photo studio, and the small girl almost ran into him. Kyoko paused just in time, and caught her eye on the tiny business her mentor paused in front of. He walked in, and she followed curiously.
The entrance was a undersized, wood paneled room, neatly decorated with kanji wall scroll artwork. Small lanterns hung from the ceiling, and the only thing that stood in the room was a tall podium, and its mistress.
"Hello young sir, young lady." The middle aged woman bowed at her station. Kyoko's eyes widened as she drank the mature woman's powder white makeup, ruby red lips, elegantly knotted hair and deep red and gold robe.
"We have a four thirty appointment, under Mogami." Ren spoke smoothly, catching the look of her fascinated rapture.
"Is this the young lady?" The aging hostess asked with a polite smile. Ren nodded to the manager. He made sure to avoid eye contact with the curious actress, when she turned to him in confusion.
The older geisha took Kyoko's hand, and patted it friendly. "No need to nervous young lady." She slowly guided her guest to the hanging curtain. Kyoko followed her in meek bafflement.
He ducked under the cloth doorway and into the studio, following the women. It was much larger and better furnished than the outside had hinted. The interior reflected the style of Kyoto he remembered when he visited with his parents. Everywhere was light bamboo wood, and shoji sliding doors blocked other rooms from view. Along the ceiling hung classic Japanese kimonos in a multitude of colours. Dotted around the interior were standing fully garbed samurai statues, in a fighting position. A bamboo water feature clinked in the background. Photos of past geisha, full body and close ups, hung on the solid walls, showing the photo gallery's expertise.
Ren spotted a padded bench, and sat next to another visitor, watching as Kyoko was steered into a dressing room. A slightly overweight, balding sightseer looked up at the sudden company, and smiled.
"Another man, caught in the sitting area." The plump vacationer said jovially, after some time had passed. His english accent was thick, but he sounded friendly. The two men turned to each other for a quick moment, and the Japanese man smiled politely. "You waiting for your sister?'
Ren face lightly fell, and the gentleman let off a low deep laugh. He brought his heavy hand down on the young man's shoulder, and shook him with a sociable grip.
"I'm sorry. I expected you not to understand me. Where are my manners…"
"No no, there's no trouble." Ren laughed it off, and turned to face the chatty man with a nervous smile. "I am not waiting for my sister."
"Girlfriend then?" The visitor looked down at the other's ringless left hand. "Must be. No wife would let her handsome young husband walk around without their wedding band."
Ren just continued to smile, unsure what to say at the inquisitive male. The older man just chuckled deeply and continued, unperturbed at the silence.
"I remember when I was your age. Lucy was just as pretty as flower, and I had to do my best to win her over. Now look at us, old turkeys in a strange land, touring our last years away." He turned to face ahead, smiling. "Make sure you treat her right son. Girls are like princesses, all of them. They all deserve love, and to be treated as the gems they are."
Ren was saved a response as the hostess made her way to the chair. She bowed towards the waiting men, as they rose to their feet.
"The ladies are finished. Would you be so kind as to follow me?"
She guided them behind another pair of sliding screen doors, where a second geisha dressed hostess was waiting. She guided the British man down a hall. Ren watched the strange elder walk away, his words hanging in the air.
"Will the young sir follow me?"
Ren entered the small photography room, spotting his companion near the edge of the green screen. Kyoko entered the space slowly, taking small steps in her white tabi socks and zori straw sandals. She kept her hands together, at least that was what he presumed since the material hid her hands. His lips ticked up, as he stayed in the darkened corner in the back of the room.
Fully dressed up in the customary maiko garb, she reminded him of the traditional hina ningyo dolls. The rich kimono was a vivid blue violet, which draped around her small frame and contrasted with her snow white foundation. The material had blooming flowers outlined in an deep amber, which matched her eyes. The neckline was also the vibrant orange. He figured why she picked it. The garb managed to match her beloved gemstone in both hues.
Kyoko's eyes flickered to the corner of the room he was standing in. He pulled back deeper into the shadow. Her rose red lips were still, but her eyes shone as the photographer got into position. He watched the screen as they took full body shots, as well as close ups of her perfectly painted face. She kept as still and professional as if she were on another job, but her eyes flickered with something familiar.
His memory awakened as he looked into her gaze. The pale painted face morphed from a geisha doll to a small child, cheeks round with baby fat and eyes lit with fairy loving reverence. It was the same look she had given him when he was her beloved Corn, and had gifted her the magic gem to take away her pain. It was the same smile Kyoko carried when she thought of fairies, or her beloved prince Sho, who use to do no wrong.
He was struck on how much the small things meant to her, and found himself wanting to give more. Every precious stone, any over-embellished ballgown...Ren would track down the fairy world, if it could keep that smile on her face.
Once the photographer finished, he directed her to the small second exit that lead back to the changing room. She bowed in appreciation, then neatly walked off the stage and out the other side door. Ren kept back, lost in thought. He followed a good distance away, waiting at the end of the hall as she reentered the dressing room, and took her time to switch back into more modern clothes.
The original geisha came up to him, holding out a clipboard with all the photography packages the studio offered. Noticing the model photo, he picked up the wallet sized sample of the doll-like actress, and smiled warmly at her captured happiness. Her emotions seem to spill through, and he respected the photographer's skill of catching it.
Ren took the pen, and signed for the largest package with his address and bank information. The geisha bowed appreciatively, and took the form away for processing. Once he was alone again in the hallway, he pulled out his wallet, and slipped the 2.5 by 3.5 (6cm x 9cm) picture into one of its protective clear sleeves. Her photo looked up at him, and he paused for a moment before tucking it away.
Skipping happily out in her high school uniform, she spotting him at the end of the hall. Her walk changed as she came up to him, shuffling timidly.
"You shouldn't have done this Tsuruga-san..."
He couldn't help but smile at her shyness. It made him want to grasp her, and tuck her into a protective hold against him. Ren took his hand and brushed a remaining splash of white paint gently off her cheek. In response, her lips curled in a small smile. He felt vaguely pleased she hadn't automatically pulled away.
Kyoko stomach growled loudly, and she blushed. He caught himself laughing, and averted his hand to her own. He kept a gently firm grip as he started to pull her out of the establishment.
"Let's go Peach-chan…"
They sat at a nearby family restaurant, looking at their colourful picture menus. The excited chatter of the busy tables around them help camouflage the celebrity diners voices. Ren watched her above his menu, as she quickly ran her eyes over all the tempting options in front of her.
"Do you know what you're going to get, Peach-chan?"
"Hamburger steak, Corn-kun."
She pulled her eyes away from the menu, and gave him a rare wry look. He enjoyed baiting her, and the fact Kyoko was growing comfortable enough to joke around him made him secretly smile. Even with her freshly washed face of all the traditional white makeup, he could see the remains of the maiko smile in her. Every new side he saw of her attracted him.
When the waitress came up to deliver their drinks, he ordered two hamburger steaks, and smiled at her shock. He could read the look on her face, as the waitress started walking away.
"I wanted hamburger steak too." Ren stated quickly, cutting off her worries that he ordered his meal because of her. Before she could counter, he changed the subject. "Now, you surprised me with your live-action career. Do you like it?"
Kyoko face morphed from apprehensive, to contemplative. "I am pleased to get it. Moko-san said it should help remove me from the trap of only being cast for bad girl roles. The children in the audience are quite enjoyable to interact with too. Plus, we have cute props and Mrs. Almqvist is a firm but sweet director. We only film once a week and practice twice a week, so it leaves a lot of room for other roles." She smiled, and took a sip of the golden cola.
"What about promotions?" Ren asked curiously. Usually live action shows did conventions, and other publicity events. "You must meet a lot of fans. Are there any older ones like me?"
"A bit. I didn't expect there to be so many people in the older generation who liked such shows. Especially men." Kyoko laughed nervously. "We sign lots of autographs to men around our age. We also get a lot of gifts sent to us, signed with men declaring their love. I guess it's something to do with their children though." She blushed lightly, but smiled as the waitress returned with their orders.
"Itadakimasu!" Kyoko snapped her chopsticks apart, and began to cut into her steak.
Ren frowned as he followed suit. Some men, like Yashiro, were probably into the show for the shoujo storyline, blinded by the bright lights, j-pop, and cute poses. Other men probably did attend the promotions for their daughters' sake, just like she mentioned. Still, she wouldn't have blushed if it were only those types of men. The outfit flashed in his mind again, and he remembered the days he would browse the internet forums. He knew what men thought. There was no way the audience wouldn't consist of some questionable men, with carnal desires for cute actresses in adult outfits.
The chopsticks snapped between his fingers. Ren noticed she was looking at him, with a confused expression.
"Sorry, I just became a bit distracted. What were you saying Mogami-san?" He said with an innocent smile.
"Where did you learn English so well?"
He swallowed.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, you spoke to Mrs. Almqvist with no trouble. You also didn't disagree with her when she asked you if you weren't 100% Japanese."
This topic of conversation wasn't quite what he wanted to talk to her about. She had addressed him as Mr. once, with an English accent, when she had acted for his father. To catch on to the conversation when her director had such a thick accent...His face was still, but Ren's eye mentally twitched. That old lady probably knew Kyoko could understand English. She probably wanted to berate him in a way that caught him off guard but still embarrassed him in front of others. The image of her smirking in his mind annoyed him.
His past was something no one knew about him in Japan, with the exception of one person.
She looked to the side in embarrassment, picking at a small part the hamburger steak left. The silence was stuffy, and he didn't know how to break into the conversation. Before he could speak, she beat him to it.
"You don't have to tell me Tsuruga-san. I'm sorry for prying."
Ren looked at the young women in front of him, as she played nervously with her food. She probably thought she overstepped her bounds again. Acting as if she was only his kohai. He made his decision. He didn't want her to believe she was only a fellow member in the business anymore.
"As you know, Tsuruga Ren is actually my stage name. I was raised in California. My relatives are almost all fluent English speakers. Japanese is actually my second language." He flicked his hair back. "This isn't even my real hair color."
Kyoko watched him with surprise, looking up at his hair as if expecting it to change colours like her stone.
"Plus…" Ren added, as he lowered his voice and looked around. Kyoko leaned in to hear him, curious. "I can fly…"
She pulled back and puffed her cheeks in exasperation. He broke into a rich laughter.
The bet wasn't worth it, he thought, as she went back to finishing her meal. He'd let the world call him what they wanted to, rather than risk this.
Aw Ren. So sweet. He rather tell the world he's gay than hurt her. Anyways, next chapter Sho and Shoko should be back. I didn't forget about them.