Sho was pacing in his luxurious apartment. He felt like a caged animal and hated feeling so confined. Where was Shouko? Wasn't she his manager? Why wasn't she anywhere to be found, especially when he had only recently been released from the hospital?
He had been in the hospital for three days and his recovery had been quick. But every moment had been agonizing. Having to remain on a ventilating machine that would push air into his lungs was a painful experience. Had it not been for Kyoko's presence by his bedside, he doubted that he would have been able to endure it.
Yet having her there by his side had been torturous for him as well. How was he supposed to continue this way, knowing that she didn't love him?
If only….
Sho paused in his thoughts. His mouth drew into a tight line as he sank into the couch. Stretching his legs out on the coffee table in front of him, he cursed his predicament.
If only, if only, if only. Is that all I can think about? Fuck all this! How pathetic have I become? What is wrong with me?
His mind began to recall all the events that led up to his current state of affairs. Images of him asking Kyouko to come to Tokyo and of them moving to Tokyo together, began to flood his mind. He even remembered the long nights he waited alone in their apartment composing his songs, while she was out working. Never once had he ever thought she would leave him.
How had things changed so much? Sho kicked an empty Coca-Cola can off the coffee table, in anger. He knew exactly how things had changed. She had met Tsuruga Ren. Standing up, Sho walked over towards the fridge. He needed a drink. He hated his lonely thoughts and thinking about Kyoko's involvement with that man was driving him crazy.
Pouring himself a generous amount of daiginjo sake that Shouko kept for special occasions, Sho swallowed the icy liquid in one gulp. The fragrant liquid was refreshing to his senses and he took the bottle along with his glass back to the living room, where he preceded to numb his senses towards his current state.
He was pouring out the last remnants of his drink from the 400ml bottle when the doorbell rang. Had Shouko finally come back? Haphazardly standing up, Sho stumbled drunkenly towards the door. He had half a mind to yell at Shouko for leaving him without any warning. Where had she gone to anyways?
Flinging the door open widely, Sho yelled obnoxiously, "Where have you been? I've…"
His words were silenced immediately when he realised that Kyoko was standing outside, holding a small bag of groceries in one hand.
"What are you doing out of bed?" she asked him. Her eyes were bright with anger as she pushed her way into the house.
"Shouldn't you be resting?" Kyoko asked, as she paused in the middle of the living room.
"What are you doing here?" Sho questioned, as he followed her into the kitchen.
"I came to check up on you," Kyoko stated, while she proceeded to empty out the contents of her grocery bag. She had brought enough to make him a small lunch and was determined to stay until he finished it. That was all she would do for him today.
There was no point in remaining any longer. For some reason or another, she just wasn't able to remain in his presence long without ending up fighting with Sho. For his sake, she would try to remain composed, so that Sho won't be able to get her riled up. However much patience that may take, Kyoko was counting on her cooking skills to keep Sho from arguing too much with her.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll make you some lunch," Kyoko suggested in route to grabbing a few pots and pans from the kitchen shelves.
"Did you bring any strawberry pudding?" Sho asked as he sat obediently at the kitchen table. His eyes were large and round as he looked expectantly at Kyoko.
Although he was frustrated that he was seeing two of her because of his drunken state, he was secretly happy that she had come to keep him company. Being near her while he was drunk made him feel a little liberated. In fact, he was feeling very liberated indeed. He might even be able to speak his mind with her and let her know how he felt about her.
Stop thinking such nonsense. His conscious reminded him.
Don't you know she's a married woman now? Even you know that she would never leave Tsuruga-san, now that she's married. Did you want to continue to look the fool? Do you really think that if you begged her, she would give you another chance? Have you forgotten where you have placed your balls?
Sho's countenance changed as he recognized that it was too late. Even as Kyoko placed the small container of his favorite desert in front of him, Sho couldn't find any joy in eating it. His eyes remained sullen while he silently ate his pudding. Occasionally, he would cast longing glances at Kyoko while she made his lunch.
"You don't have to make me lunch you know, it's not like I am really hungry," Sho stated after he had finished his pudding.
"Just pretend you are and eat this anyway," Kyoko replied, while she placed a bowl of Tsukimi soba in front of him. Sitting down next to him, she watched as he began to eat hungrily.
Smiling resignedly, Sho was not enjoying his meal at all, despite how delicious it tasted. "I didn't really want this but since you insist, I will eat it then."
"Why do you always have to be so ungrateful?" Kyoko asked while she watched Sho gobble up his meal.
"Ungrateful? Who says that I am ungrateful?" Sho asked while he scooped up another heap full of food. Every bite was making him feel uneasy but he refused to let anything Kyoko make go to waste.
"Don't you ever say thanks for anything? I remember Okamisan teaching both of us manners while we were young. Was I the only one listening to her?" Kyoko asked while she frowned.
"Are you suggesting that I didn't listen to my own mother?" Sho asked, alarmed at the thought that Kyoko could think him an ungrateful child. He might not have gotten along with his father but Sho loved his mother deeply. She was the only other woman Sho had ever loved.
"Well, did you? It seems like you lack in manners and especially in showing gratitude for people's kindness," Kyoko replied.
"You want me to show you gratitude?" Sho asked, surprised that she would care for such a thing from him.
"It wouldn't hurt you to do so, every once in a while," Kyoko commented.
"Are you sure you would welcome it if I did?" Sho asked, as he pushed the bowl aside.
"Of course I would welcome it. It would probably be the first time you ever showed me it!" Kyoko answered irritably.
"Then you are sure you won't complained if I should you my gratefulness?" Sho repeated, while he began to inch closer to Kyoko. There was a dangerous gleam that had entered his eyes with his slow predatory movement.
Kyoko's eyes narrowed as she replied, "I am not like that…."
Her words were interrupted when Sho pulled her abruptly towards him. His mouth landed on hers instantly and his hands held her head in place, while he kissed her. If she wanted his appreciation for making him a meal, Sho was more than willing to show her it. After all, even Mimori craved Sho's kisses whenever she did him any favors.
Screeching in surprise and annoyance, Kyoko tried to push away from Sho. She could smell the alcohol on his breath, when he tried to force her mouth open. Her hands beat at his chest in an effort to resist his kiss. But it was futile, Sho was immobile. Her hands swept the table blindly and grabbing the unfinished bowl of soba, she emptied its contents over Sho's head.
Coughing and sputtering in shock, Sho released Kyoko. His eyes were narrowed as he asked indignantly, "Why did you do that?"
Kyoko's face was red with anger as she replied, "Because you kissed me!"
Drenched with noodles and broth, Sho looked comical, as he pointed an accusing finger at her, "I thought you told me that you wanted me to show you my gratitude for making me lunch?"
"I did but I didn't mean for you to kiss me. Who do you think you are that you can do such a thing?" Kyoko asked, while she stood up from the table.
Stripping his shirt and belt off, Sho reached for the zipper of his jeans and began to pull it down, "I happen to be all dirty now, thanks to you!"
Alarmed at what Sho was doing, Kyoko asked, "Hey what are you doing? Are you drunk?"
"Why, are you afraid I'm going to attack you?" Sho asked as he stepped out of his jeans. Standing in the kitchen in his boxers he was thrilled, when he noticed the tinge of blush appearing over Kyoko's cheeks, as she averted her eyes.
"Shoutaro, if you continued to stand in there like that, you will end up catching a cold," Kyoko hissed, while she exited the room.
"What? Are you suddenly worried about me getting sick?" Sho asked with a lazy grin. Perhaps it was the alcohol but Sho was feeling a little daring, knowing that he was having an effect on Kyoko.
It had been a long time since the last time he had been able to tease her. Remembering how she used to get so embarrassed whenever he would go shirtless as a child, Sho wanted to relive that moment. Except this time, he wanted more of a reaction from her; rather, he wanted to see her think of him as a man.
With eyes that twinkled with wicked humor, Sho stripped out of his boxers and walked boldly into the living room. He was expecting Kyoko to turn red with embarrassment. He was not expecting her back to be turned towards him, nor was he expecting her to answer his doorbell when it began to ring.
"Wait," Sho shouted but it was too late.
A few quick flashes lit up the room and it took both Kyoko and Sho a few seconds to realise that there was a paparazzi taking pictures of them at the door. Without understanding why the man was so excited, Kyoko asked in an annoyed voice, "Yes? Who are you?"
Smiling from ear to ear, the stranger answered, "I am Noburu from boost magazine and I was hoping to speak to Fuwa Sho?"
Sho stood completely naked in his living room trembling with fury. This was not what he wanted. Walking towards the door, he yelled in a loud voice, "Kyoko, shut that door immediately!"
Unsure of why Sho had raised his voice at her, Kyoko turned around to face Sho. Her face turned a bright red when she finally noticed his nudity.
"What...?" Kyoko tried to voice her question but her throat went dry. Why was he standing there naked?
The room began to light up again, as more pictures of them were being taken. But Sho was quick to intercede the annoying photographer and made a haste attempt to shut the door. In his rapid drunkard movements, he slipped over Kyoko's leg, banging the door shut with his head and passing out immediately.
Kyoko stood frozen staring in wide eye horror at the naked Sho sprawled out at her feet. For a second, she wondered if he was still alive as she watched him. Hesitatingly, she reached down and lowered her head onto his face, hoping that she would hear him breathing. His breath was faint and a slight trail of blood was beginning to seep down his nostrils.
Sighing heavily, she decided that the idiot singer was definitely alive. Gritting her teeth angrily, she marched into the bathroom to retrieve a towel to cover Sho's nudity. What was it about this stupid man that he was always capable of making her mad, no matter how hard she tried to control her temper.
Mumbling a few curses at him under her breath, Kyoko decided that it was time for her to leave. But the doorbell continued to ring and the annoying paparazzi was standing on the other side of the door. She couldn't leave at the moment and risk having any more photos taken of her with Sho.
Reaching into her phone, Kyoko dialed Shouko's telephone number. She was glad that the manger answered her call immediately. Quickly, Kyoko explained everything that had happened and asked Shouko to return immediately. The call was brief and Kyoko was relieved when the manger promised to arrive within the hour.
Glancing at her watch, Kyoko paced the quiet room like a restless animal, while she waited. Her temper burned hotter and hotter, whenever she heard the doorbell ring. Why couldn't that man leave them alone? Didn't he understand that he was intruding on their privacy? Sighing, Kyoko wondered, why did this have to happen to her.
Not only was she already having a bad week after learning about Ren's involvement with his producer but now she had to contend with Shotaro's drunkard behavior, while trapped with a reporter outside the door. Her eyes narrowed up at the sun outside the window. Despite the beauty of the day, she felt completely drained of all life and energy.
How was it that she had been reduced to such a state in her life? Was there any hope for her anymore? After waiting endlessly for Ren to call, she finally realised that he was not going to. It was that fact, which had her feeling miserable and confounded, all at the same time.
Then to top things off, each time she would try to call him, she would come across Tina. How was it that Ren was allowing that woman to answer his calls? Kyoko was almost on the verge of calling Yashiro to see if Ren was dating his producer. Yet it was her pride that stopped her from doing so.
She was determined not to allow herself to behave irrationally. Never again. Just the thought of doing so brought images of that hamster ear wearing Manaka-san to her mind. Kyoko shivered with fear at how illogical Manaka-san had behaved over Ren at the Tragic Marker set.
"That will never be me. I will never become a fool over anyone again. Not ever," Kyoko swore silently to herself.
"Who are you talking to?" Sho asked from behind her.
Spinning around to face him, Kyoko retorted, "You are awake?"
"Yes," Sho answered with a weak smile as he wrapped himself tightly in the bathroom towel.
"What were you talking about just now?" Sho asked while he settled himself comfortably onto the couch. His head was aching terribly but he was more concern about Kyoko's current state as he examined her pale form. Why was she talking to herself? Was something wrong? She looked stressed and not her unusual self. Had she been losing weight?
Now that most of the alcohol had worn off from his system, he was better able to scrutinize her form. Taking in the frailty of her figure, he wondered what was causing her to look so run down. Even her eyes had dark rings under them, indicative of her not sleeping. Was she sick? Had she contracted a disease? Did that playboy husband of hers give her a STD?
His voice was filled with concern when he asked, "Has something bad happened? You don't look very well."
Lifting a nervous hand to wipe away a telling bead of sweat at her brow, Kyoko shook her head. "No there is nothing happening to me which concerns you."
"But I can tell there is something bothering you, are you sick? Could it be, you have contracted some serious disease from that platform wearing husband of yours? Why don't you fess up?" Sho suggested in a concern manner.
"The only thing that is bothering me is you, sitting there on that couch, completely naked except for that towel!" she pointed a finger at him and lifted her eyebrows to indicate her displeasure.
Ignoring her, Sho stood up and grabbing the ends of his towel indicated succinctly, "I will count to ten, in which time you will either tell me what is bothering you or I will remove this towel. One…two…three…."
"Shotaro, you flasher! How can you be so perverted?!" Kyoko cried in dismay.
"…four…five…six…" Sho continued to count, while he waited for Kyoko to confess.
"Fine, fine. Stop counting and I will tell you," Kyoko asserted, as she raised both hands up towards Sho defenseively.
Nodding, Sho sat back down on the couch and waited patiently for Kyoko to begin.
"I think that Ren might be having an affair," Kyoko whispered.
Shooting from the couch to his feet, Sho shouted, "What?!"
"I said, I think Ren might be having an affair," Kyoko repeated loudly.
"You don't have to yell, I heard you that first time. But why do you think that?" Sho asked indignantly. He was wounded that she had yelled at him but couldn't help wanting to know more about Tsuruga-san's misdeeds.
Drawing out her cell phone from her pocket, Kyoko pulled up the internet and found articles of Ren with his female producer. Tossing her phone towards him, she explained, "It's all there. See for yourself."
Sho took his time to read though all the different articles of Tsuruga-san and Tina Herman. He let out a long whistle when he drew up a picture of the attractive producer. His actions irritated Kyoko who sat on a side chair fidgeting with the end of her skirt, while she waited for Sho to finish.
"So this is it?" Sho asked, when he completed reviewing the tabloids.
Shaking her head, Kyoko pointed at her phone and said tonelessly, "There is more, I have tried to call him but she keeps answering his phone."
Sho went towards the call log on Kyoko's phone and for a second time, let out a long whistle when he saw how many times Kyoko had dialed Tsuruga-san's number.
"Wow," he finally stated.
"That's it. Now will you get yourself dressed," Kyoko retorted in resentment. Her anger had arisen over Sho's threat and was aided by Ren's indiscretions.
She didn't want to hear another one of Sho's 'I told you so', nor did she feel like explaining why she had called Ren repeatedly. Lifting her chin up, she shot him a challenging look, hoping to dissuade him from prying into her private affairs. But her continence was ignored by the singer.
"I don't think you should jump to any conclusions just yet," Sho answered her softly.
His words made Kyoko fall off her chair. She blinked twice before rising from the floor and returning to her seat. "Have you gone mad? Did you hit your head too hard?"
Laughing bitterly at her questions, Sho shook his head. His face was contorted in pain, as he spoke but his words were clear and sharp, "I might have been mad before but nothing is clearer to me now than ever before. I can't continue seeing you hurt like this. If you truly love this man, then I will support you, even if it's not what I want."
Kyoko fell out of her chair for the second time. Rubbing her painful buttock, she shook her head to clear her mind before she requested, "Can you repeat what you just said?"
Clearing his throat, Sho answered slowly and deliberately, "I said, if you love him, I will support your happiness."
It took Kyoko a long moment to process what Sho had just said. When she did, she rose steadily from her chair and she stretched out her hand towards him. "Then is it true, can we finally be friends?"
Taking her hand in a firm handshake, Sho looked her directly in the eyes and agreed, "Yes."
Tina was waiting in the conference room with a sinister smile on her face. This was her moment and she was bursting with delight at what she had been able to accomplish. Having stolen Kuon's phone, she was able to wreak havoc with his wife. She had even been able to convince the young actress that her husband was completely aware that she had been calling but didn't care.
Now all she had to do was ruin Kuon's chance of ever going back to his love. This would be an easy enough task. She was mentally rubbing her hands together in anticipation, while she waited for the actor and his manager to arrive for their final meeting.
She didn't have to wait long. Both men strode briskly into the meeting room and the meeting amply began on schedule. Giving them a bright smile, Tina was the first to bring up the subject matter on her agenda.
"Ren, I am very disappointed in a recent discovery concerning you," she paused for effect. All eyes turned towards her as the four men, consisting of the director, screen writer, actor and manager waited for her to continue.
"I was informed that you are not single at all but rather, you are a married man?" her voice was getting icy but she forced her face to remain stoic.
"Can you please explain why you have deceived us?" she asked.
"Mrs. Herman, I fail to understand how my client's relationship status needs to be discussed in this film project. It is evident that despite him being photographed with you in the news, that his popularity has not suffered. So surely, this should not impact the movies' success?" Yashiro replied.
"I am concern about the 'what ifs', Yashiro-san. Since this is such a big and expensive project, I will not allow my investments go to waste," Tina replied.
Turning towards Kuon, she continued, "If you want to remain cast as the main star in this movie, I suggest that you separate from your wife. I will not be made a fool of and I do not intend to put up with this deceit any longer."
"Are you suggesting that I choose between my wife or this movie?" Ren asked in a dangerously low tone. His eyes were narrowed on the beautiful producer, who at the moment seem to be regarding him contemptuously.
"Yes, that is precisely what I am suggesting," Tina announced.
Director Hiromitsu was quick to interject; he did not want the film to be compromised by the very dominating producer. Clearing his throat, he offered, "Suppose we kept his relationship status under wrap, we should be able to continue with this project?"
Nodding enthusiastically, the screen writer, Tony Lim, was quick to agree, "Yes, I think that would be a great idea."
But Ren was not willing to compromise. Something about the way Tina Herman was acting was making him doubt the wisdom of remaining in this movie. Even should this be his chance at debuting in the United States, he just couldn't ignore the uncanny suspicion that there was something amiss with this particular producer.
"Mrs. Herman, may I speak with you alone?" Ren asked suddenly.
Around them, three pairs of eyes rounded in surprise but Tina was very receptive to the idea. Standing up immediately from the table, she headed towards the door. With a look, which she casted over her shoulder, she said, "Yes, please follow me."
Three pairs of eyes enlarged in even further surprise when the actor briskly left his seat and bowed politely before saying, "I will be back shortly."
Ren followed her quietly into her office. His eyes took in the lusciousness of the small room. Decorated in pale tones, the room was extravagant but very feminine. This was certainly something that suited the ultra-sophisticated producer.
His eyes scanned her desk and immediately caught a glance at a very unusual object resting in a glass case. The object looked out of place in her office and nearing her desk to get a better look, Ren stood motionless when he finally recognised what it was.
"This?" He mouth went dry and he was suddenly unable to complete his sentence. Instead, he quickly turned around to stare at the producer.
"So you recognise Rick's necklace? I had it placed in a shatter proof case to protect it," Tina supplied the stunned actor.
Walking towards him, she continued in an icy tone, "You were able to recognise that but you couldn't recognise me, could you?"
Shaking his head, Ren felt himself grow cold as he finally realised that his producer was the same person that had dated his best friend. His tongue felt stiff, as he uttered the words, "Tina?"
A/N: Hi everyone. Thanks for all your patience, hope you enjoyed my story so far. I enjoy hearing from you and am glad that so many of you are supporting my stories. Please feel free to drop me a review to let me know how you like this so far. Thanks again.