Not So Perfect Strangers

Chapter 6

It had been a few days since the talk with Kise and the model decided to go back to work after taking some time to clear his head and just try to shake the bad feelings he recently had about his job. It doesn't hurt that during this brief respite he was talking with Kuroko and the teal-haired author was doing what he could to just calm him before he even THOUGHT about going back. Kuroko knew right now that while he needed his friend to "break" he wanted to be a slow process. Why? Because that would make the repair easier in time.

That day Kise asked Kuroko to come with him to a meeting that he had to attend. Part of it was about his recent actions but another part of it was about a deal they recently signed with a global television network. This was going to be the first time that the agency was going to be showcased on worldwide TV and he wanted Kuroko there with him. He also knew that he had some other stuff that needed to be done there and he decided that Kuroko was going to need to be there to help him through it.

You see ever since the blows, both before meeting Kuroko and just recently, Kise's "mask" that he wore had been slowly breaking. The normally carefree young man was starting to have outbursts that, if not controlled, could do him a lot of harm to his career. It scared him honestly because the fact that he was having these issues was making him uneasy. He needed something or someONE to be there to try and help him through this rough stretch that he was having and he felt that by having the stoic writer there it would help him at least think about something else.

When they got to the boardroom inside the agency one of the reps tried to keep Kuroko from entering. Kise told the woman that he was there as his adviser which was a half-truth. Kuroko's job was to observe how he goes about his daily business and see if there was anything he could do or tell management to do to aid the young man because in the very short time both that he knew Kise and just observing him sitting next to his agent he could tell there was something bugging him. Its almost like he didn't want to be there anymore!

After the meeting which went for a good hour Kuroko got up from the chair that he was sitting in by the entrance and went to go have a talk with one of the executives before the shoot for the day. You can only imagine how THAT went!

"What can I do for you sir?" The man, whom looked to be in his early to mid 30s asked Kuroko who took his seat and the young man was as honest as he could be

"I'm going to cut straight to the point" He began "Kise ,your client, is hurting. You may not see it physically but that's because the pain isn't physical. Do you understand this?" Kuroko asked as bluntly as possible and the exec just smirked

"Kise? Hurting? Do we know the same man? Ryota has been a sterling rep for us for a long time. I don't see how he could POSSIBLY be hurting in any way especially with the money he's paid!" The gentleman exclaimed and it was clear from what he just said that Kuroko knew how oblivious he was to what was going on.

"Explain to me then about the two outbursts he had? Explain to me how this agency could have been so SELFISH that when it came time to sign a contract for a company to promote them he wasn't told until he had to go do it? Tell me how you people CARE about what he does with his life?" Kuroko asked and the executive was left speechless to the point where the thought of having him escorted out didn't cross his mind. It didn't hurt that he came with Kise and to throw Kuroko out he would have to throw Kise out too! Kuroko excused himself and found where Kise was before they got in the car to go to the location of the shoot for the day.

When the two got there Kuroko didn't talk to Kise about his brief meeting but he didn't need to. Kise could tell something happened and he knew that it was because of the events that happened recently. He left his friend with those thoughts while they drove to the studio they needed to go to for the day and Kuroko just observed during the makeup and the rest of the process. He watched with Kasamatsu who heard about Kuroko chewing out one of the executives but also knew it was well intentioned. It might have been brief but their time together was starting to change the normally placid young man into somewhat of an outspoken figure. He wouldn't show it often but he knew if it was for someone he cared about then he was going to let it out.

As the day went on Kuroko watched as Kise did as was told and put on his "mask" for the camera. Kuroko knew that his friend needed the money and so he watched him do what was asked from the photographers and the wardrobe people. This went on for about 5 hours with a minor lunch break and Kuroko luckily had with him a burger and a vanilla shake. He was going to make sure that tonight he and Kise had a nice dinner together and at this point he was past caring what people thought of him! There was a young man that needed him as more than a roommate now and he would do what it took to make sure that the "masks" he wore were taken away and that the real Kise would shine through even in public. Watching him have to put on the fake smile legitimately made him sick but to tell him that with the way he's become might not be the best thing to do. A little thing called "tact" might be in order.

It was about 4 PM and Kise was almost done and as he got on his final outfit and his face done one more time one of the stylists happened to notice Kuroko watching them with a stern look on his face so they had to ask what was going on.

"Kuroko has become genuinely worried about you hasn't he Kise-chan?" One of the stylists asked and Kise nodded before speaking

"Since the now public blowup that I had a few days ago I have started to feel things in my life and myself as a person changing. I never felt the way a true human COULD feel in that I never really knew vulnerability. I think that was the one thing I needed to learn. I needed to learn what it meant to be like that for our friendship." Kise explained and the other stylist HAD to stir the pot.

"Is he JUST a friend to you though? To me it seems a little bit more than that." She explained coyly and Kise couldn't deny that he was starting to feeling something in him changing. The kiss on the cheek when Kuroko hugged him still lingered on his cheek and he wouldn't let anyone else kiss him there because in his mind that was "Kuroko's spot".

The blond did the rest of the shoot which took about an hour and afterwards he was allowed to wash up and then head out with Kuroko. When he got across the room the photographer asked if he could take a picture of the two together and Kise looked like he had seen a ghost but at the same time he looked over at Kuroko whom had a minor smile on his face.

"Tell me sir…what would the picture be for?" Kuroko asked and the photographer told him (and kept his word) that the picture would only be for them and he just wanted to see how it would turn out. To sweeten the pot Kasamatsu told them that if the picture EVER became public he would rip up Kise's contract and he could go about his life as just Kise Ryota. Kise smiled when he heard the news and the two friends agreed to do the picture. Kuroko had to stand on a stool to get the picture the photographer wanted but he had Kise to brace him so that he wouldn't fall. Since the picture didn't matter the two friends got a little silly with it but Kasa wanted one serious one with them and they were fine with that. What I don't think he expected was Kuroko to go into a full on hug with Ryota and Kise to just LET him! This was something that they knew they wanted at this point and neither cared about repercussions. They knew they weren't dating but they didn't care at this point. With what Kise had been going through Kuroko did this as a symbolism of his support for what he was going through and no one else at the agency knew about it outside of himself, Kise and Kasamatsu. After the picture was done Kuro got down from the stool, bowed to the photographer and Kasa before walking out the door and going home.

When Kise and Kuroko got home they got their house slippers and made their way to the kitchen to cook up some grub and it was one of the first times that Kuroko got to see Kise have a genuine smile! It was so different and refreshing because when he has to see "Plastic Kise" that would get him upset and Kise knew it. Kise never wanted to hurt him because there WAS something special about Kuroko to him but he wasn't going to tell some bubble-headed woman that didn't really care! Kise knew how those people worked and if you told them the truth you were dead! NO ONE in that business keeps their mouth shut and if something like THAT got out…we don't even want to discuss it!

As they finished the prep and got things ready on the stove Kuroko stood on his tiptoes to give Kise a small kiss on the cheek…what he didn't expect what that the blonde turned and got him right on the lips! It honestly didn't upset Kuroko as it was a very faint brush of the lips but the effect was there. Kuro felt like his lips were on fire and yet…he liked it! Kuroko, in his mind, had his first kiss and it was with Kise! Judging from the reaction of the model…he had the same thought.

"That was…WOW!" Kise exclaimed and Kuroko just nodded in agreement. Its not often you hear of two people having their first kiss cooking dinner while just really starting to live with each other but the thing of it was…they didn't care! In Kuroko's mind this was honestly part of the process and Kise believed in his heart that something truly special was starting. A moment like this was something that they would never forget and as they reveled in the feeling of the moment that they just shared…there was more yet to come!