Author's Note: Hello, Everyone. Sorry this is much later than I promised. I was having issues logging in the last two days, meaning I could even upload this at all. It was very depressing. Anyway. It's here now. I kinda realized as I was getting a little more into the chapters that I was taking things very slow, so please bear with me for a bit. It promise that things will get wonderously interesting soon. There's a lot of set up that has to go on first. That said, thanks to everyone who's continuing to support me thus far. You'll have a speedy update next time if the site is cooperating. I almost forgot. I must give proper credit where it is due. I took the chapter title from a line in the Woody Allen film Crimes and Misdemeanors, which apparently my English teacher thought was relevant when we were reading Crime and Punishment.


Chapter Two: And What Would I Do With a Handful of Putty?

Duty Binds Us—Part One—Scene Three

[Rin waits outside the HQ building, looking out on the road. A few moments later she spots a military jeep driving up the road kicking up a lot of dust as it goes. She glances down at her digital watch which reads 13:30.]

Rin

[muttering] If that's not him, I may have to take my M-16 to our new lieutenant.

[Private Tenshou arrives behind her]

Tenshou

I certainly hope not.

[Rin jumps]

Rin

Don't do that! What are you doing here anyway?

Tenshou

Colonel sent me along to help.

Rin

Liar.

Tenshou

Indeed. I'm avoiding Mai-san.

[Rin pretends to look over Tenshou's shoulder and spot Mai.]

Rin

Look out. She's headed this way!

[Tenshou falls for it and runs off muttering various curses and obscenities. By now the truck has stopped in front of Rin and she raises her hand to salute as the driver and Madara Akio get out of the vehicle.]

Rin

Welcome to HQ Lieutenant Madara, sir!

Madara Akio

At ease soldier. And I prefer Lieutenant Akio. [aside] Madara is my father.

Rin

Very good, sir. I am Private Moyami Rin . I've been instructed by Colonel Jira to receive you and show you the base.

[Akio smiles warmly, but Rin pointedly does not return the gesture]

Akio

Guide away, Moyami-chan.

[Rin grows colder]

Rin

This way, Lieutenant Akio, sir.

Ren set his copy of Duty Binds Us on the table and looked up at his manager. "Seems interesting enough."

Normally Yashiro would have said something along the lines of, "But you've only read the first three scenes!" Of course, this was not a normal circumstance. Yashiro had already read the script last night—staying up quite late to do so in fact—and knew there was nothing Ren would object to except who his co-star was going to be. That tasty fact, however, was to stay firmly concealed until it was too late.

Instead Yashiro said, "Shall I call Director Hakimori?"

Ren didn't seem to notice his manager's deviation from the norm. "I think I'll finish the last few scenes in Part One first."

Yashiro nodded, knowing that Ren would accept the job on that basis and to say anything to pressure him would surely reveal his hand. He glanced down at his watch. "You'll have to do that later. We have to be on set for Contagion in a half hour."

"I'll drive," Ren said.

"You always do," Yashiro reminded him.

"I know. I just like saying it."


"And do you deny that you have done this deed?" a red-faced man bellowed at Kyouko. His cheeks puffed out violently in a way that was most un-kingly considering he was supposed to be King Creon of Thebes. But the director didn't seem to mind. It was the effect he was going for in fact.

Kyouko gazed at him through the solemn eyes of Antigone. "I do not."

"CUT!"

Kyouko turned to look at the director, a pudgy man of thirty-eight that ate more than his fair share of sweets. "Very good, you two. I want you to start that scene over one more time so we can film from a different angle and then we'll wrap for the day!"

She nodded and so did "King Creon." Antigone was not by any means Kyouko's favorite project, but there was something she generally liked about the Greek drama. It told the story of a young girl, determined to honor her brother Polyneices in death, even though he had been marked a traitor and the citizens of Thebes were forbidden to bury him.

Antigone saw past the laws of King Creon to the deeper laws of the gods and defied her king. But she was caught. In a whirlwind of chaos, Antigone was sentenced to death, but her death was not the only one. Haemon, her betrothed and Creon's own son, followed her, as did Creon's wife soon after, leaving Creon shamed and broken. A tragedy.

Kyouko admired Antigone's resolve and courage. It was a pleasure to act as a strong woman. And the director didn't mind Kyouko's increasing muscle mass for Duty Binds Us since Greek women weren't necessarily dainty flowers anyway—though it had depressed Kyouko for a day or two when the director used those words.

A few more minutes of staging and nitpicking and Kyouko's task was complete. Her scenes were finished and she left the other actors to work on the scene in which Haemon argued with Creon.

"That was some good work, Kyouko-chan," Sorata told her, handing the girl a water bottle, which the manager seemed to have an abundant supply of wherever they went. Kyouko took the water gratefully. Stage lights were hot and togas were surprisingly warm. Kyouko bit her lip. She knew that the proper term for Greek female clothes was not "toga" but for the life of her she could not remember.

"What do I have next?" Kyouko asked.

"Nothing for a few hours," Sorata said. "We're headed back to LME for a bit and then you've got a photo shoot at five."

Kyouko nodded enthusiastically. "I haven't been in the office in a long time."

"I know. You only stop in to let Sawara-san see your bicep progress." Sorata gave Kyouko a sideways glance. "I've been chatting with Yashiro-kun lately," she began. "Tsuruga-kun has an open space in his schedule right now too. I asked them to join us for lunch."

Kyouko brightened, oblivious to Sorata's meddling behavior that was quite similar to Yashiro's. "That's great! I haven't seen Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san in ages!"

Sorata smiled knowingly. "Yes, we have to make sure those two eat properly."

The two wandered out of the building merrily discussing men and their lack of attention to acceptable nutritional habits and general wellness. Sorata had two older sons and thus had a great deal to say on the subject.


Lunch with Kyouko and Sorata had been a last minute thing, and Yashiro almost forgot that Ren had been planning to finish reading the script to Duty Binds Us during lunch. Luckily, he had a moment while Ren stopped to use the restroom to snatch the script from Ren's bag—though he probably wouldn't go looking for it with Kyouko around anyway. But there was still the question of whether Ren would mention the Hakimori mini-series or not.

Taking a leaf out of Sorata's book, Yashiro decided to spin the same clever tale as the older woman intended to do with Kyouko. Because the script was still unfinished, the project was still unofficial. Any discussion of Duty Binds Us even to a co-worker, kouhai, or senpai was strictly forbidden.

Ren was well-versed in keeping secrets and if Yashiro told him to keep Duty Binds Us on the down-low, then that mini-series would stay quite low indeed. And though Yashiro didn't know it, Kyouko was rather good at keeping a role a secret with all her hard work as Bo the Chicken.


Perhaps one of the reasons Kyouko and Sorata got along so well was because they both shared a fondness for cooking. If it was at all possible, Kyouko's skill in the kitchen had improved since her acquaintance with the motherly manager. Sorata, having planned the lunch in advance laid out a magnificent array of edibles with the perfect balance of delicacy and comfort food.

"Ahhh, Sorata-san," Kyouko squealed appreciatively. "You're amazing!

Sorata smiled pleasantly. "Thank you, Kyouko-chan. It means a lot coming from you."

Kyouko blushed. "Well, Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san would be silly not to notice your incredible lunch," she said.

"What about us being silly?"

Kyouko spun around almost fast enough to give her whiplash. "Tsuruga-san!" He smiled pleasantly. The fact that it was a genuine smile made Kyouko's heart glow unexpectedly. She felt an inexplicable urge to embrace him, but she refrained from doing so.

"It's been awhile, Mogami-san. We'll have to take better care not to go so long without sharing lunch," he added. "So why am I accused of being silly?"

Kyouko blushed darker. Sorata intervened. "Kyouko-chan, was just assuring me that you would appreciate my food, because if you didn't you would be very foolish. Which you obviously aren't." And just because Sorata couldn't resist she added, "Are you, Tsuruga-kun?"

"Of course, Tsuruga-san isn't silly!" Kyouko interrupted before Ren could open his mouth. Yashiro grinned.

"Tsuruga-kun, I saw you on Contagion last night. A very impressive performance," Sorata added as they began to sit down at the table and take up a pair of chop sticks each.

"Thank you, Matsu-san," Ren said politely. "Director Midorimoto is a pleasure to work with."

"And have you been enjoying the role, Tsuruga-kun?"

"I always enjoy my roles."

"How fortunate to love acting so much."

"Even more so that I've managed to become an actor," Ren countered.

Kyouko was oblivious to the repartee, but Yashiro had noticed long ago that Sorata engaged in these verbal battles with Ren like an overprotective mother. If he did not intervene early, they would go on forever. He cleared his throat loudly.

"Kyouko-chan was right, Sorata-san. This meal is delicious," Yashiro said pointedly.

Sorata graced him with a large smile. "Thank you, Yashiro-kun. Kyouko-chan and I were discussing this earlier, Tsuruga-kun isn't the only one with questionable eating habits. You could use a little more meat on your bones too!"

Kyouko blushed. "I didn't say that," she muttered.

Ren laughed. "Oh no, he gives me the high and mighty act all the time, but he's just about as bad as I am."

"And this, Kyouko-chan," Sorata said turning to the young girl, "is why men need us."

Kyouko could not contain a small giggle. The delicate sound drew Ren's attention and he had a hard time looking away.


"Tsuruga-san, did you see that new TV show? The one with the--"

"People with superpowers," he finished.

She smiled. Conversations were so easy with Tsuruga Ren.


"C'mon, Kyouko-chan. If we don't leave now, we'll be late for your photo-shoot," Sorata said, glancing at the clock on the cafeteria wall.

Kyouko followed her gaze. "Yes, you're right." She turned back to Ren and Yashiro. "Thanks for eating lunch with us."

"We should do it again sometime," Ren told her.

Kyouko smiled. "Yeah, have your people call my people," she teased.

She set off with Sorata at her side and though she didn't quite realize it she was happier than she had been in a long time. Sorata, being her manager, was more perceptive when it came to Kyouko's moods. "You're smiling, Kyouko-chan," she said quietly.

"Should I not be?" Kyouko asked, rather confused.

"No, that's not it. You just seem a lot happier than you were earlier today," Sorata said.

"I can't imagine why," she replied, biting her lip while deep in thought over the issue.

"Perhaps it was because of lunch?"

"It was such a good meal," Kyouko began.

"I don't mean the food. I mean the company."

"I always love spending time with Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san," she said automatically. Sorata contained a sigh. Not today. No, Kyouko would not achieve an epiphany today. She would not yet comprehend the fact that Tsuruga Ren was putty in her hand.