Prisoner

8th Chapter

Out of the frying pan and into the flame.

He pulled away from her in the most relaxed manner, Shou the master of finesse, raked his fingers through his blonde hair and as if things could not be any worse for Kyoko, he had the audacity to tilt her chin to him and in his usual sardonic tone, said "Hope I helped you out today. I had a good time." At that he got up and slowly walked past Ren. Kyoko missing the moment he licked his lips on the way making sure Ren saw it.

"I will just go to my room…" Yashiro-san said in a low voice and calmly stepped out. Kyoko's eyes followed the silver haired man, she was too absorbed with the chills she got from staring at the rigid Tsuruga that she didn't even notice her manager standing there.

A long silence filled the room. Kyoko wanted to smile, she wanted to hug him, to welcome him, to ask him for some pointers but she couldn't. She did something she shouldn't and she knew he hated. She also hated.

Ren broke the silence, "Who are you right now? Who were you when you were kissing Fuwa? Kat or Kyoko?" it was a question only Tsuruga Ren could ask and only an actor Tsuruga Ren would understand, but for some reason… Kyoko felt uneasy.

"Kat." Kyoko said with conviction, although, she felt like no matter what she says, Tsuruga Ren wouldn't believe her. "I… what you saw… I know you're disappointed—"

"I'm not disappointed. I'm angry." He was blunt, he admitted it. But it was more than being disappointed at Kyoko and angry at Fuwa. Without a word and averting his eyes from her, he left her room.

"I'm angry at myself." Ren confessed to his manager and long time friend, a glass of brandy on one hand, while he rested his elbow on the built in bar in his suite.

Yashiro didn't say a word. He let the actor spill his gut for once. "The chain that stopped me from loving her, every reason I came up with in the past… they're all a joke,"

Yashiro drank his bottle of beer, he didn't understand but he has an idea what the drunk Ren was referring to.

"I was fooling myself, it didn't matter if she was in high school… I was… making up excuses not for her safety but for my cowardice."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Ren's hand tightened around his glass of whiskey. He envisioned Fuwa on the floor covered in his own blood. The thought put a deadly gleam on his eyes… 'Kuon', he heard a faint whisper and snapped out of his trance. This is what he was afraid of, for him, to love completely is to risk losing himself completely. But he can't risk losing her.

"No matter what happens, I can count on you right?" He said. Yashiro frowned, with Ren and his mood, it can only mean one thing,

"Don't do anything stupid tonight Ren, you have a shoot tomorrow."

"Who said anything about tonight?" at that Ren downed his glass of whiskey and Yashiro refilled it graciously.

Raven hair, a delicate tan, straight nose, soft lips… he looked like an angel while standing there discussing today's shooting with Director Ogata under the tent. But she knew, due to the events of last night, that the light, calm and composed demeanor was a façade. It must be, aside from their bizarre conversation he hasn't said anything to her, she was preparing for a long talk of do's and don'ts from him but nothing came.

Suddenly, she felt a warm gust of wind against her nape and she quickly placed a palm to cover the area, sudden goose bumps appeared on her skin,

"A high school uniform really suits you best." Kyoko turned around at the sound of Shou's arrogant voice,

"You!" she breathed through clenched teeth, the nerve, "Quit that habit of yours! It's unhygienic." If it weren't for the blonde devil in front of her, she'd probably eaten her breakfast with Tsuruga Ren, heard all about his commercial shoot, laughed, and had a list of tips and pointers to help her for today! But NO! Instead she's fidgeting like a cornered rabbit because he caught her kissing the devil—willingly!

Control yourself Kyoko and focus on the task ahead. Don't be stupid and don't ruin this opportunity. Closing her eyes, she turned her back on Shou and walked away.

Walking away from Shoutaru might be the smartest thing she'd ever done, or maybe not. After her encounter with the devil she treated herself to a chocolate milkshake and decided to walk back and rest a bit in her trailer.

She got back to her trailer and saw the six foot four Tsuruga Ren, waiting for her outside. A mixture of excitement, happiness, fear, guilt coiled up at the pit of her stomach. She inhaled.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire, as the old saying goes." Kyoko muttered to herself after getting over the initial shock of seeing him.

Ren was angry. Last night, this morning. Even though he ignored Kyoko he was every bit aware of where she was and what was happening to her. Even while discussing the events for today's shooting with the director, his senses were alert when it came to Kyoko. It took every ounce of self-control not to rush to her side when Shou Fuwa appeared earlier, he wanted to beat the kid to a pulp, but seeing how Kyoko handled him lightened up his mood, not to the point of forgiving, just to the point where she's allowed to state her case.

He quietly opened the door to her trailer and she walked towards it like she's approaching a death sentence, he followed her inside, slowly closing the door behind him.

It was a typical actor's trailer. The size of a moving van, a comfortable interior with air-conditioning, complete with a vanity table and make up table positioned beside the door, a mini couch in front, a huge closet for clothes and costume, small dining table and at the end corner, a bed.

"Take a seat," Kyoko said politely, pointing to the cozy white couch in front of her.

"No. I prefer standing up. You sit." Tsuruga said and Kyoko unconsciously obeyed. Now she really felt like being scolded. Oddly, it felt more natural for her than the cold treatment.

"So you're not mad anymore?" she asked bravely, hope in her voice.

"Depends on what you're going to say next."

"It… I, I was scared that I wouldn't do well in today's shoot. Shoutaro said that he wouldn't mind doing the scene over and over again, that it wouldn't surprise anyone if a newbie like me would suck at this particular scenario. You see, I was already aware of my fear of doing these parts of the story. He only pointed it out loud."

"You were already worried in doing these scenes?"

"Hai. But I thought to myself, maybe if I read more, or researched like I usually do then I'd get the feel of it—but the thought of not being able to perform well for the audience made me panic."

"Is LME not teaching you well?"

Kyoko's eyes widened, did her confession made it seem so? "NO! LME is the best artist company there is!"

"It also states in your contract that you're forbidden to take lessons outside of the company."

"It does?" Kyoko shook her head, "But, it isn't a formal lesson of any sort."

"What do you call it then?" Ren's eyes narrowed on Kyoko, she went on alert, Tsuruga Ren was always sharp but she never felt so cornered as she was feeling right now. Her senior was not taking it easy on her and she had to watch her words carefully.

"I realized that just reading won't make me do certain acting scenes realistically—what I did with Shou was just for experience. I'm now seventeen and I know what I'm doing."

"Yes— A seventeen-year-old who can still be easily manipulated by that bastard Fuwa. And you're right. Our company's been turning a blind eye, taking it easy on you. The president still wants to preserve your naivete and innocence." Ren's voice tuned deep and low, "While letting you work with that bastard Fuwa. I don't know what the President's trying to do, whose patience he's trying to cut short," His eyes turned dark, neither black, nor brown, somewhere between gray and green.

Kyoko fidgeted on her seat, she's always been respectful and obedient to Tsuruga Ren but the man in front of her didn't feel like him.

"I—" Kyoko held her breath.

Tsuruga took light, careful steps towards her, but the relaxed motion didn't stop her heart from beating fast. The predatory gleam in his eyes sent shivers down her already cold spine. She wanted to run but at the same time she wanted to stay with him.

He finally reached her and in a languid gesture he bent towards her until their noses were only inches apart, "You want experience, and I'm done holding back."

TO BE CONTINUED.

It's been a busy month but I was able to update with passion!Happy! :3

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