Always with You
Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat! or any of its characters.
Chapter 30 – Wedding Vignettes
The following are a series of scenes spread out over time and leading up to Ren and Kyoko's big day. There are many stories left untold, but I will try to keep the flow and avoid confusion.
Patient Persuasion
"Please?"
"But it will hurt."
"It will only be a little bit. I'll be gentle."
"I guess it does belong to you too."
Kyoko reached into her pocket and reluctantly extracted the little cloth snap-purse which held her most precious possession. Her hands trembled as, for the second time in her life she voluntarily handed the little bluish-purple stone to someone else. She remembered now that she had handed it to Ren the first time as well. It'll be fine. After all, it was his first. But why does he want to cut off a piece?
Carnival Glass
An hour later an elderly craftsman turned the stone over and over. "I can do it, but I don't understan' why you would want to combine carnival glass with precious stones."
"Trust me, that stone is as precious as any stone. Please promise me that you won't harm it."
"Won't be a problem. She'll hardly even know anythin's missin.'"
The old man shook his head as the tall man left his shop. Celebrities;. Can't understan' 'em at all. That's ok, they pay well.
Whistling a soft tune, he pulled out his tools and went to work.
Schedules
"I shouldn't have said 'yes' to Kingdom of Thorns," Kyoko groaned.
"And pass up the chance to play a faerie queen? If I had let you say no you would have held a grudge against me for the rest of your life," Ren gave her a mock-frightened look, "And your grudges are scary."
Kyoko gave him a little warning frown, and then smiled sadly, "But I'll be spending two months in Nepal; and you're flying back and forth to Fiji! We'll never see each other!"
Ren loved all of her expressions, but this look was so cute that it took his breath away. He cupped her cheek and used a thumb to wipe the hint of moisture out of the corner of her eye, "Well, you wanted to be an idol. These days your getting more offers than I am."
She laid her hand on his and leaned into it, "Don't exaggerate." After a long pause where they both enjoyed the contact, she sat up and took a deep breath, "We need to focus. Ok, October's out. November's out. Let's see if we can make December work…"
The Manager
Ashina Mieko looked fondly at her new charge. "It's just a commercial, Kyoko-san." She had been overjoyed when she was offered the manager position with Japan's most talked about young lady.
"Chan, not san; or I'll start calling you Miss Manager-san again. I'm too young and too new in this business for someone with your experience to treat so respectfully."
"Ok, you win. Kyoko-chan. You've been shooting arrows at that target for over an hour. Surely that's enough practice to look good for a sixty-second commercial."
Kyoko let fly and listened to the satisfying "thunk" as another arrow hit dead-center. "Director Kurosaki expects perfection for his CMs."
"But you have a lunch date with your fiancée in thirty minutes. What will Tsuruga-san say if you're late?"
"He'll ask me if I got my character down. He's the real perfectionist."
Mieko sighed. She's probably right. Those two are made for each other. "Ok, but only ten more, and then we go."
Abducted
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be landing in JFK International Airport in twenty minutes. The captain has turned on the Fasten Seat-belts sign…"
Kyoko looked over Maria's curly blond head to meet Julie's eyes, "I don't know how you managed to clear everyone's schedule?"
Julie looked at her daughter/future daughter-in-law fondly, "I just threatened the Boss that I'd plant a bomb in his walk-in closets. He took care of the rest."
She saw the mixture of joy and concern on Kyoko's face as she looked across the aisle to Kanae, Amamiya, and Mari. "Don't worry, Kyoko. If a girl and her friends can't take time off to pick out a wedding dress, then what is life all about?"
Four hours later, in the bridal boutique that claimed to have the largest selection in the world, Kyoko modeled "just one more dress." The ladies all gasped in awe.
Even Kanae had a suspicious hint of moisture in the corners of her eyes as she said, "We are not letting Tsuruga-san see you in that before the wedding. It wouldn't be safe."
Forgiveness
Fuwa Sho looked pleadingly at the girl he had often described as "plain" and "boring." She was in her dressing room, dressed and made-up as a goddess for his latest music PV. She really was as beautiful as a goddess at that moment. I'm such an idiot. "So, do you forgive me?"
"I told you that I did, Sho-san." Kyoko looked at the young man who had caused her so much pain and anger, "I appreciate what you did for me on the Rumiko Show, and I loved your song. Thank you."
Sho didn't tell her about his conversation with the director. She had refused to allow him to act in the video, "I'm sorry, Fuwa-san, but she's a top-level character actor now. If you try to play a part she'll completely overshadow you." You got you're revenge. You've climbed to the top and left me behind.
"So-o-o, if all is forgiven, can I please be Sho-kun again? Or at least Sho-chan?"
Threats
Ren wondered why he had been asked to come here.
He sat at the lunch counter of the Darumaya and watched the stern-faced proprietor masterfully ply his knife on a slab of Kobe beef. He waited patiently for the older man to speak his mind.
"I started learning how to use these knives when I was three years old," the man said as he sliced expertly between two ribs.
"I was acknowledged as a master with these knives before I reached seventeen years old."
He looked up to make sure that Ren was paying attention. His hands continued to ply the knife without his eyes on the task. "These knives have sliced a lot of meat."
He looked back down and continued his work. "My wife would be very upset if anything bad ever happened to Kyoko. I would be very upset if anything ever happened to Kyoko."
He raised his eyes to hold Ren's again, "Are we clear?"
Squaring Off
Ren massaged his temples. He had hoped that the days of men competing for Kyoko were over. But today now four men were arguing over who should walk her down the aisle.
As usual, it was Julie who provided the resolution.
"Listen! Kuu, you can't give her away to your own son; that would seem like… look, you can have the first father-daughter dance. Now stop pouting.
"Fuwa-san, why don't you spring for the honeymoon? They could spend some time in your beautiful hotel and then take a short-cruise or something.
"Lory, you're already paying for part of the wedding. I'll tell you what: you are in charge of the reception. And NO Fireworks inside the mansion this time! I still have burn marks on my wedding dress from that fiasco.
"Taisho-san, you have been taking care of Kyoko for the past three years. I know how she feels about you. Will you please walk her down the aisle?"
Taisho didn't trust himself to speak. He gave his future in-law a sharp nod instead.
Pleas
"Please, Kotonami-san?! I'll be on my best behavior. Besides, nobody else has asked you yet."
Kanae glared at Hio. It irritated her that she had to look up to do it. "That's just because you keep scaring them off."
"Just this one event. I'm her friend too, you know."
"I thought that you called her 'the demon-girl'."
"That was a long time ago." Hio didn't tell Kanae that he had been pumping Kyoko for ideas on how to win the lady's heart for the last two months.
"Hio-chan, there's a five year's difference in our ages."
"What's it going to matter in twenty years? Women live longer than men anyways. And besides, think of me as your foil."
"What?"
"Sure. You said that you were too focused on your career to worry about romance. You go to the wedding with me and you won't have to worry about being chased by men your age."
"What about you chasing me?"
"I'll wait. You're worth waiting for."
"Mo! Ok, I'll go with you to the wedding. But don't you dare announce that I'm your girl the way you did in Australia."
"I promise."
Notes: Sorry, not the last chapter after all. The Wedding is next chapter.
