Hey guys, lots stuff happens in this chapter! I finally got up to the twist! I'm sorry for cutting it short last time, and I hope this makes up for it.
DISCLAIMER: I disclaim! All rights to the original writers, and I profit in no way save the warm fuzzies from your kind reviews.
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CHAPTER TWELVE!!
Ren whirled around when he heard her gasp, and immediately rushed over to Kyoko to hold her up. Then the smell hit him. Whatever was in that box, he could now see it was bloody meat, was clearly past it's used by date. Kyoko was doubled over, clutching her mouth and stomach. She looked like she was going to be sick and so he immediately picked her up and carried her into the corridor, too worried to feel happy that he could hold her. Ren put her down on the bench near her room, and knelt before her, putting his hand up to her cheek, stroking it and trying to calm her down. She looked quite shaken, but anyone would be after opening a box like that. He started anxiously up at her reassuring himself that she was okay. She looked straight at him and smiled weakly, although her face was still pale.
"I'm okay, Ren, it was just the smell..."
Right, the smell. It had been really bad. What about the shock? Then he thought of something. Had it happened before? Then she wouldn't have been so shocked. His head going around in circles, Ren decided he'd better do something constructive, and tell the Director. But he shouldn't really leave Kyoko. But she did look better. He glanced down the hall, then back at her.
"Are you sure? Here, Kyoko, stay seated, I'm going to call Shinkai okay? You stay right there, don't go back into that room." He stared into her eyes seriously, making sure she heard him and would do as he said. Ren then nodded reassuringly as he backed away, before turning and half sprinting back to the main room. The advantage of Lory's mansions was that they all centred around a certain area, so it was easy to find your way back. He burst into the room, ran over to the director while signalling to Yashiro. His manager wore a solemn face as he realised now was not the time to be joking around or teasing Ren. He walked over to the other two, as they both moved away from the other people in the room, back towards the door.
"Ren, what's going on?" Shinkai asked. It was weird that Ren looked so... frazzled.
"Walk first." Was all Ren said in reply. They left the main room and Yashiro realised where they were headed.
"Kyoko-chan?"
Ren glanced back at him, "Ah. She's had a bit of a shock. Someone left a package for her and..."
They rounded the corner, walking at a swift pace. Kyoko sat with her head in her hands, elbows on knees. She looked up and grimace-smiled at them all. Ren immediately walked over to her and sat down, raising his left hand to stroke her hair. She smiled, more genuine and gentle this time. Ren dropped his hand to her lap, where she held it in her two smaller ones. She leaned forward, and their foreheads touched and stayed that way. The Director and Yashiro looked on, feeling somewhat awkward, somewhat triumphant.
"What's going on?" the Director asked, quietly, trying not to break the atmosphere.
Ren glanced at him and jerked his head in the direction of Kyoko's open dressing room. They took the hint.
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Yashiro was feeling quite happy and pleased with himself as the Director and he walked past the two actors, down the hall towards Kyoko's room. It seemed that they would gravitate towards each other during times of stress, totally naturally. Yashiro made a note to himself to create some stressful situations. They entered the room, and the Shinkai immediately put his hand to his nose. Yashiro wondered what he was doing for a split second, when the smell hit him. Smelt like a butcher's shop, but worse. Ew...
"Good god, this stinks!" the other man exclaimed. They looked around the room for a second before walking over to the open cardboard box on the table, breathing through their mouths. Yashiro got an eyeful of bloody meat, and he stared at it in morbid fascination. The Director immediately turned and left the room, breathing deeply outside in the hallway. Yashiro took one last look at the contents of the box before shutting the lid and opening the window of the room. Maybe that would help get rid of the smell.
He joined Shinkai in the corridor. The director had his hands on his knees, and was slightly bend over.
"Well, I guess we know what upset Kyoko-chan." Yashiro said.
"That's truly disgusting." The man replied, looking a little pale. "I want to know who sent it."
"There were no stamps or addresses on the box." Yashiro said confidently. He'd checked, "Only Kyoko-chan's name. Someone must have dropped it off."
"Hmm. Let's go."
They returned to the bench where Ren and Kyoko sat, no longer with their heads touching, but still holding hands. The girl looked up when they approached. Shinkai immediately sat down on her other side. Yashiro stayed standing. They remained in silence for a while, but soon Yashiro decided it was time for a little digging.
"Has anyone every sent you something like this before?" He asked, looking at the young actress.
"No." Kyoko replied, apparently over the shock already. "But... I actually had got a couple of poison pen letters."
She said it apologetically, looking at Ren worriedly. He looked surprised and stared at her. She hung her head.
"When?" Ren asked. "How many?"
"Um, I think I got the first one... about a week into this project. Then another one a couple of days later. They are just pushed under my door. And there was another one today." She said.
Ren looked flabbergasted. "Why didn't you tell me?"
She blushed. "Well, you're a professional actor, I'm sure you get hate mail too. I didn't want to bother you with it. I didn't think it was anything too bad."
"Kyoko, pushed under your door. That means they can get into the set!" The Director exclaimed. "That's pretty serious! Do you still have them?"
"Yes, they're in my top drawer in the dressing room desk. It's locked though," she said as the Director made to move, "The key's on top of the mirror."
Ren got up and said, "I'll get it," before walking off.
He came back shortly after, with three envelopes, and returned to his seat on the bench. He pulled out the paper inside, one by one, and read them out.
" 'Quit this project you evil girl no one likes you Warning!' And... 'Go Away! Careful! You ruin Everything sly Hateful girl!' And finally, 'Ha! You call yourself an actress? You're pathetic Quit'. All very happy. Shinkai, it's someone on the set." Ren said, looking up at the Director, "The last one shows that they have been watching the filming. I'm not sure whether that's good or bad; at least we've narrowed down some suspects."
"Damn," the Director said quietly, "And everything was going so well. Any ideas, Kyoko-chan?"
"Um..." Kyoko deliberated, "They want me to quit?"
Hm, Yashiro thought to himself. Their mysterious letter-writer wanted Kyoko to quit. Why? It couldn't be someone like the Director, who wanted everything to go smoothly. Then again, it might not be something to do with the movie at all. Maybe one of the workers held a personal grudge? But against Kyoko? Not really probable, they all liked her because she was so much friendlier than Mayui-chan had be... And, eureka.
"Mayui." Yashiro said aloud. "She doesn't like Kyoko very much. She thinks Kyoko stole her spot. These letters are really quite childish and inexperienced; no one ever cuts things out of newspapers anymore, it's easier just to print it from a public library."
Yashiro glanced at Ren and sent him a silent warning. He looked pretty badly annoyed. The manager sighed.
"Well, at least she only sent stuff." He said. Kyoko pressed her lips together for a second, and Yashiro had enough time to think, Uh oh, now what? before his question was answer.
"Ah... Actually, do you remember that day I was late?" she said, looking at the other men, "Well, the reason I was late... I um... kind of got pushed... onto the road."
She looked at them apologetically.
"I didn't tell you because I knew that you'd get all protective, and I really didn't have proof. No one saw anyone push me, but I didn't just walk into incoming traffic! Anyway, I was late because someone called an ambulance when they saw me fall. I rolled and didn't get hit." Kyoko said, cutting Ren off before he could start, "Only a couple of grazes. But they took me to the hospital just to check. My arms have healed now."
"Just your arms?" Ren asked breathlessly.
"Oh, my knees to." Kyoko said, lifting the hem of the heavy dress she was still wearing, having had no time to change. There were scabs on her knees and marks on her shin that had yet to completely heal. Ren was frowning.
"Ok," The actor said tersely, "While we're at it, anything else?"
Kyoko flinched, looking down, "No."
Ren's expression immediately turned more gentle, and he reached out to grab her hand again, rubbing his thumb over her palm.
"Don't worry, I'm not mad at you, I'm just a little anxious, that's all. I'm glad you're okay." He said.
Yashiro let them be for a little while before awkwardly clearing his throat. Three pairs of eyes looked at him questioningly.
"Um, shouldn't we go talk to Mayui?"
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Kyoko sat a little to the side in front of Mayui, who looked positively wretched. The director had cancelled the remaining hour of filming, and people were filtering out. He stood in front of the young actress, who seemed contrite when faced with the letters that, as it turned out, she had written. Yashiro had good instincts. Now Kyoko wanted to know why she had done something that, as Natsu had mentioned when she found the first note, was silly and childish and did absolutely nothing. She looked around. Yashiro was present, but he had made Ren stay outside, just in case. It wouldn't help if he unleashed his Demon Lord persona on everyone.
"Why'd you send the notes?" The Director asked.
Mayui burst into tears. She didn't have much pluck anyway. "Because I was annoyed! She came onto the set on a whim, and then suddenly she gets the main part! And she kept swanning around Tsuruga-san, and everyone seemed to like her, and they didn't even care that she stole my spot, and she's not even prettier than me! It's was so unfair. The only thing going for her is that she's got Tsuruga-san wrapped around her little finger. And everyone seems to think I'm totally stupid and I don't see you guys scheming to get rid of me. "
She pouted. Kyoko couldn't believe it. "So you decided to get rid of me?"
"Look, I know it was really petty and all, but I don't see the harm in sending you little notes and saying what I think, okay?" Mayui huffed. She turned back to the Director, "I won't do it again. I promise to keep my hands to myself from now on."
The Director frowned. "Still, pushing people into traffic... that's pretty serious, Mayui-chan, we can't just let it go."
"I'm sorry?" Mayui asked blankly.
Kyoko leaned forward, "Someone pushed me onto the road last week."
"Oh, and now you want to blame it on me?" She actually looked scandalised. "Look, I just sent you three notes, stop making such a big deal out of it!"
"Wait, you didn't send that box of stuff? Just the notes?" Shinkai asked.
"What box of stuff?"
"You know, the meat and blood and that?"
Mayui looked horrified. "I'm vegetarian."
Kyoko sighed. This was great. She should have picked it. On the one hand, the petty notes. Not nice, but not anything bad. On the other hand, physical violence and a box of mystery meat. Intimidating and potentially life threatening. She walked out into the hall. Ren stood up and made his way over to her.
"Well?"
"She sent the notes, but Ren," Kyoko added, laying a hand on Ren's forearm as his eyes darkened and he glared towards the room, "She didn't do the rest. It was someone else."
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Finally, the end is in sight! That chapter was a little longer than I like them to be...
Okay people, review!! Whodunnit?! Try to guess! There were clues, but they're all really subtle. So you probably didn't notice them, I only put them in 'cos they amuse me. But you'll probably still get it...
Next chapter, the baddie revealed! XD