So I'm still not feeling 100% but just as Roleplaying made me feel happy once upon a time I guess writing a story that few people review makes me somewhat satisfied even if it is only 1/100 people who actually comment...which I guess might be a lot. - shrugs -

Chapter Eleven :: Questions and Answers

Interview Part 1/2

"So we'd like to welcome Hizuri Kuon," Hikaru said into the mic before Kyoko did her little dance to show Kuon onto the stage. She looked at him seeing the anxiety and depression he had before seeing him adopt a 'gentleman's smile'. She froze, was this? She blinked at him again from behind the plastic eyes, he wasn't wearing the outfit he had been wearing before. He was dressed in black formal pants and a white button up shirt, his hair was even back to being styled like Ren's, on his feet he wore the same shoes that Tsuruga Ren would wear. She blinked confused.

With a smile that told he was more Ren than Kuon, Kuon came onto the stage and heard the fans cheering for him. She froze unsure what to do. Hadn't he been determined to show the real him? Hadn't that been what had upset Yashiro so much, with a look back at Yashiro she saw a grave smile on his face.

"Welcome," Hikaru said, "Please sit down," he gestured to a chair, "Now we know you wanted to talk about your latest drama, I hear it's a comedy."

"That must be quite fun to work on," Shinichi spoke up as Yuusei grinned.

"We've arranged some improve for you to do tonight Tsuru-I mean Hizuri-san, you'll be working alongside a lucky member of the audience and our mascot."

"I look forward to it," Kuon...no Ren nodded, Kyoko eyed him suspiciously and wanted to ask Yashiro why he was doing this this way when he had decided to come out. He wasn't acting like he had when she had seen him in the dressing room or like he had when she had seen him with the president. What was he doing? "And yes, the cast that I'm working with on Konyaku Konyaku are very talented, I wouldn't call it a drama in the traditional sense more of a comedy series."

"And why have you chosen that one?" Hikaru asked thankful that Kuon wasn't as hard to work with as he had thought once hearing he wanted to be himself. His actions were just like Ren's. "I mean...you're not usually known for your comedy."

"I wanted to give my comedic side a chance," he smiled, "It's not something that I've had a chance to do before, I'm just happy I'm not becoming a hassle on the other actors. It's surely not my best work but it is a good show that I hope the audience will find interest in." I also shouldn't reveal that it was the only one I could start a day or two after crashing as BJ. Of course I hate doing this stupid comedic shows, but it's a job and it's a chance to prove that I have variety in my action...at least that's what he thinks.

"Well I've heard that you're really going to be good on it, you've been filming for a month now haven't you?" Yuusei asked, "I'm really looking forward to seeing more of it, we've got a few clips to show the audience however I would like to see the finished thing."

"I mean, who knew that the Ren Tsuruga...no Hizuri Kuon we all saw portray such deep emotions in Dark Moon could provide comic relief as well. It really was a shock," they said, "And here we were thinking you were going to take a break from filming for a while."

"Not for a while in the slight sense," Kuon continued to smile in this false way as Kyoko grew more and more suspicious of him, "I have a new film shooting in June that I had agreed to. Since Konyaku Konyaku is a short series it will feel nice to have a slightly lighter schedule for a while, especially since things seem to be picking up in my personal life." Might as well steer this conversation towards something other than this comedy series, I can't believe I agreed to such a part but people would be more suspicious to see me with free time on my hands and I hate not working...although I might not be working straight away when the baby comes.

"Your personal life?" Hikaru asked before grinning, "Are you telling us that Tsuruga Ren, the popular bachelor has picked up a fortunate woman?"

"Well she's a teenager," he replied as the girls in the audience started commenting

"Tsuruga Ren with a teenager?" one asked

"A high schooler! I bet it's a senior in high school!" another girl said, "Probably from that acting high school."

"Aww...and I wanted Ren, no Kuon to go out with me, I didn't know he was after younger women," a teenager whispered as Kuon looked at them with a surprised look.

"May we ask who 'she' is?" Shinichi asked as Kuon nodded.

"She has agreed to reveal herself, we're going to be appearing together on an interview tomorrow morning," he replied, "I hope that you'll continue to support me even though my bachelor days are over. She's a young actress who has only started to have roles such as Mio and Natsu."

Hikaru paled his eyebrows shooting up, why hadn't Kyoko told him that she was dating Ren? Unless of course this was a secret. "Are you t-talking about Mogami Kyoko," he said as Kuon looked at him in surprise.

"Of course, I have been in love with her for a long time, it took a lot to start our relationship however," he laughed as the girls whispered and he caught the words, 'Mio' 'plain girl' 'that girl'. "Is something wrong?" he asked looking at Hikaru who was trying to maintain his composure.

"I wish you the best of luck with her," he said in a false happy voice that Kuon instantly saw through.

Stay strong leader! both Shinichi and Yuusei thought as they stared at Hikaru.

"Well..." Hikaru began, "We have a word from our sponsors and then after that we'll be talking to Hizuri-san about his past in America and why he decided to leave and come to Japan. I hope you'll continue watching."

Bo gave a salute as the cameras flicked to adverts and went over to Ren. She looked at him before gesturing to the outside as he nodded. Once they were in the hallway off screen she looked at him. "So..." he said to the rooster, "Did I do alright announcing you as my girlfriend?" he asked rubbing his back, "I hated those questions about the comedy series...can't believe I'm working on such crap."

"Who..." Kyoko asked slowly, "Are you now?"

Kuon blinked at her, he tilted his head to the side confused, "Hizuri Kuon...your boyfriend," he told her as she sighed.

"I thought that," she replied, "And," she gestured towards the stage, "Who was that?"

"Hizuri Kuon," he told her as she leaned in closer to him as he paused, "What? I have to give a good impression when I'm announcing you as my girlfriend don't I?" he asked. "I mean...don't you want me to present you properly, I could tell them all..."

"No!" Kyoko shook her head, "And I know you now...or at least am starting to know you. That," she said, "Was someone who you didn't want to be anymore I thought. That was Tsuruga Ren."

"Maybe I'm more comfortable being him right now," Kuon told her before they got the sign that they were needed back on set and they both left with Kyoko watching him.

As the cameras were about to start rolling Kuon looked at Hikaru who had settled himself and then leaned across, "You alright?" he asked in a friendly manner. He probably liked her too...shouldn't show much consideration towards my rivals.

"Yes," Hikaru smiled weakly, "I just liked her too, it's good that she has the best kind of man though."

"So..." the cameraman said, "We're on in, three, two, one"

"Welcome back everyone!" Hikaru perked up acting as if nothing was wrong. "Now we were about to start talking to the former Tsuruga Ren, now Kuon Hizuri about his past in America. Now we decided it would be more fun to ask the audience their thoughts about your past, so if you don't mind," he summoned Bo who brought forth the famous egg basket. Taking one Yuusei looked at Ren.

"Everyone knows about Hozu Shuuhei's...I mean Hizuri Kuu's famous stomach. What were meals in your house like when you were growing up? Are you a good chef Kuon? I'd love to try some of your food myself," Yuusei read out, "I think we'd like to see if you can cook too...unfortunately we're unprepared for it but..."

"You should be glad that you're not prepared for it," Kuon smiled, "Family dinners in my family were very important, my mother always liked it when we all sat down together. Of course they were not the most appetizing things in the world. My mother wasn't a top knotch chef but my father had talent," he smiled, "Even today I have trouble eating thinking about how my mother used to shove food into my mouth when I was very young," he laughed. Sorry mother, he apologized as he thought about it, but you and father always taught me to answer honestly.

"Poor you," Shinichi laughed, "I think that would be torture for most children." This time he picked up an egg and smiled, "When did your dreams of becoming an actor begin?" he asked, "Were you inspired by your father?"

"Of course," Kuon nodded with his gentleman's smile showing up again, "Who could not be influenced by my father. I wanted to become an actor like him because he loved his job. Unfortunately I was slightly stubborn as an actor at first and got fired quite a lot, I did love acting but I wanted to portray characters in my way. Once I moved to Japan and started living as Tsuruga Ren, I think I put more effort into my creations. I am glad to say that stubborn side of me has been pushed to the background and I have never been fired."

"You were fired a lot?" Yuusei asked, "Well," he grinned, "You're Japan's top actor now so you don't have to worry about that. It seems everyone has to start somewhere."

"Thank you for understanding" 'Ren' replied. It was better to tackle that question myself, after all it could have been blown out of proportion.

"No problem," Yuusei nodded as he picked up another egg. "Another interesting question, I expect a lot of these..." he nodded, "When you were shooting Dark Moon you did your own car stunt were you into car racing when you were younger Hizuri-san?"

Ren chuckled, "A little, however at fifteen years old it is more or less illegal to drive a car in America, my true love of driving occurred when I was hiding my past actually and when I was over here. I have a love of cars honestly enough," he smiled as Hikaru laughed.

Hikaru picked up the next egg before he frowned, "This person asks 'Kuon, I've done a search on the internet and it says you have a violent past, could you explain what this means in your own words and why?'"

Kuon sighed, since he had come out as Kuon Hizuri this afternoon instead of on this interview, then people would have had a chance to research him, he was probably a popular topic today. "I was into fighting as a young teenager," he replied sadly, "I was picked on and bullied a lot when I was younger and so a friend of mine taught me how to do street fighting, of course my father had already tried to teach me some skills and I was skilled at martial arts as well. I started to grow angrier towards the end of my time in America and would pick fights with those who had bullied me before. I am truly ashamed of the image that I had and whereas I was not in a gang have never forgiven myself for hurting so many people in such a way. As I grew older I learned to control myself more, I only hope in time I will be forgiven" he told them.

"Aww!" the audience all said together

"He was bullied?" a girl asked her friend, "No wonder he grew angry. It's only right for someone to want to defend themselves if they were bullied."

"I forgive you Kuon!" another yelled

Kyoko looked down she had guessed about his violent past but that he had been picked on and attacked when provoked she thought, then that made more sense. He was hurt and instead of hurting himself had attacked others, she had taken everything internally but perhaps he had snapped a little. She still loved him though. Wait love! Love! Yes love.

Hikaru picked up another egg before looking at it confused, "This comes from someone in our home audience," he told Kuon who nodded, "I don't really understand, but perhaps you will."

"Alright," Kuon asked.

"Who is Rick Miller and how are you responsible for his death?" Hikaru asked gravely as Kuon's face turned pale.