:O I have become CLICHÉD! Oh amnesia...you are my friend...
Do people really hate the cliché that much? Is it really that bad?
Woe.
Short chapter.
Advent '08
December 23rd – HOLY MOLY ITS 2 DAYS AWAY!!!!!
Kyoko woke slowly from a deep sleep. The hospital room was dim so it took her a few seconds to realise that there was a person sitting in the seat next to her bed.
Jumping in fright she fumbled for the light switch.
"Don't bother, Kyoko-chan."
The person clapped twice and the lights switched on. Kyoko looked around in surprise.
"I didn't realise that the lights did that if you clapped."
The woman sitting beside her looked at her blankly.
"They don't."
She smiled at Kyoko's confused expression and leant back in the chair, steepling her fingers together.
"Do I...know you?"
The woman smiled.
"You're in the hospital and have amnesia. Do you know anyone at this point?"
"I guess that's true. What's your name?"
"You may call me Harumi-san."
Kyoko smiled at her.
"Hello Harumi-san. Was there anything that I can do for you?"
"Again. You're in the hospital. Just what exactly did you think that you would be able to do?"
Kyoko looked sheepish for a moment and scratched the side of her head.
"But still...there must be a reason that you came?"
Harumi held up her hands, palms facing outwards.
"Can't I just be here to look over you and make sure that you're ok?"
Kyoko raised her eyebrow.
"If that was the case, then why is there a television in my room?"
They both turned and stared at the large flat screen television positioned at the bottom of Kyoko's bed.
"Maybe I brought it in case I got bored?"
"So you could watch T.V. when there's a patient sleeping?"
"Headphones."
"You don't have any."
The stared at each other for a moment, tension thickening the air. Harumi smiled.
"You." She said, pointing her finger at Kyoko. "You. I knew you'd be fun. I was right of course, I always am. Always get my way, I make sure of that."
They lapsed into silence again until Kyoko realised that it was her turn to say something.
"So...um...why are you here again?"
"Well. You see Kyoko, I have this problem...and you're the only one that I can think to fix it."
"O...kay?"
"You see. I had this...well...let's just call it a plan for the moment. I had this plan and you were a part of it. You see...I was planning something at the awards and I needed you specifically there.
"Unfortunately, you got into an accident and my plan was messed up.
"I thought that it was going to be completely unsalvageable but you woke up."
Kyoko blinked and took a deep breath, trying to sort out what, exactly, she was hearing.
"So you want me to go to the awards?"
Harumi nodded.
"That is...pretty much what I want to happen. However, Lory-kun and everyone are going to forbid it or some such nonsense because of the head trauma and subsequent coma and other such small matters."
"So...how can I help you?"
Harumi smiled, narrowing her eyes at Kyoko who shivered in terror.
"Here's the thing."
She turned and switched on the television with the remote.
"This is a very interesting video I found...of you and Ren-kun..."
Kyoko watched horrified as the images played on screen. Harumi kept grinning even as she narrated.
"See? I this is some footage of why you were his manager for a few days...and oh look! This is where you undressed him.
"Well...you didn't undress him per se but from this angle and with a few minor edits it looked like you took off all his clothes."
Kyoko couldn't get any words out as the video rolled. She just kept opening and closing her mouth in shock.
"Ooh! Scene change! This is...actually, this is more recent. When you were over at Ren-kun's house to practise for your roles in 'Dark Moon'.
"Aaaaaaaand....there you go! Ha ha...from this angle it looks like something very...rated...is happening."
"Wh-wha-wha-what?!"
Kyoko clutched her head as blinding pain shot through her temples, darkening her vision. When the pain lessened she uncurled herself and looked at Harumi.
"I remember! That never happened!"
Harumi shrugged at her outburst.
"I never said it did."
"No one will believe you!"
At this Harumi smirked.
"Oh, but they will. I don't even have to say anything. I just have to post this anonymously to a television station and they will do the rest.
"The joy of modern technology.
"Do you really think that Ren-kun is going to be able to survive this? Especially when this is only twenty minutes of footage."
Kyoko stared at the woman in horror.
"What do you want then?"
"I told you. I want you to go to the awards. Do anything you have to, to get there."
"And if I don't?"
Harumi's smile widened.
"Well...if you don't...then this video will go public and I will make every single person in this entire country turn on Ren-kun. Do you understand?"
Kyoko nodded.
"Wonderful!"
Harumi stood and brushed down her skirt as she prepared to leave. She got to the door when she paused, a thought crossing her mind. Turning back, she looked at Kyoko.
"Did you say that you have your memories back?"
"Y...es?"
"Perfect. Some rules then. You tell anyone about this? I will destroy you and you're friend's careers.
"You tell anyone about the video and I will go global with it.
"Don't even think about writing down what has happened. If anyone finds out anything I will ruin your life. Do you understand me?"
"Yes. I understand."
Harumi smiled.
"Good, good. Wouldn't want anyone to guess the surprise now, would we?"
"...No?"
Harumi went to open the door again when she was hit by another thought.
"Ah! I almost forgot. You have to keep pretending you have amnesia. If anyone finds out that you don't then I'll do the same as above and blah blah blah. You get the drill."
"Amnesia? I have to keep pretending? Why?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out." Harumi smirked. "This means that you're still going to have to call Tsuruga 'Ren-kun', after all, we wouldn't want the disguise to slip now, would we?
"I'm looking forward to seeing you at the awards Kyoko-chan."
With that parting shot she left the room.
Kyoko stared at the closed door, completely gobsmacked before she flushed brightly and dragged the covers up over her head.
Ren-kun? She had to call Ren-san that?! Oh God. This was so embarrassing.
Why on earth had he said that that was what she called him?!
Had he been playing with her?
If so then that was a very mean thing that he had done.
And now she had to call him Ren-kun until whatever Harumi had planned had come to pass!
Could she last that long? Or would she have already have died from the mortification?
She sighed and dragged the covers down.
She was trapped and she saw no way out. There was nothing that she could so except go to the awards as she wasn't going to let that video get out.
...speaking of video...
She crawled to the bottom of her bed and pressed eject. The video came out with a whirr and Kyoko took it from the machine and read the label.
You can have this copy – I have more! :D
Kyoko sighed and went to switch off the screen, only she pressed the wrong button by accident and the television switched to a live feed.
Kyoko stared in horror as she saw herself sitting on her hospital bed. She looked around her frantically.
Where the hell were the cameras?!
---/---
That afternoon Ren came to pick her up from the hospital once the doctors had decided that she was fit to go home.
Kyoko sat in the front of his car as he drove her to the restaurant, the video safely tucked away in the small bag that contained her things that the hospital had put to one side when they had brought her in.
They sat in a comfortable silence and it wasn't until Ren pulled up outside the building that Kyoko turned to him.
"Ren-k...kun?" she asked, a slight blush across her cheeks as she realised the liberties she was taking.
"Yes, Kyoko-chan?"
"Um...I know...that you might think that it's too forward of me but...Kanae-chan told me about the Winter Awards and how you invited me?"
Ren frowned, puzzled as to where this was going.
"...Yes?"
"Well...I think...I think that I would still like to go with you. If you still want me to that is?"
Ren's eyebrows shot up into his hairline.
"You still want to go with me? Even though you don't remember me?"
Kyoko closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Yes. I would still like to go with you to the awards."
They sat in silence for a moment before Ren smiled at her.
"Okay then. I'll make the arrangements for everything."
Kyoko returned his smile before it all became a little too much for her to handle and she got out of the car.
"I'll see you tomorrow then, Ren-k...kun?"
"Tomorrow."
He held up his hand in farewell and drove off. Kyoko watched him go before she dropped her head into her hand.
Just what was she caught up in?
This...is going to have cliché in it, there's no avoiding it. This is only a fanfic after all.
Hopefully...that wasn't predictable.