Steal You Away
A/N: Sorry for the wait I got injured at work and I've been on the watch list for the past two weeks, so I couldn't sneak in my writing.
Ch. 2
Kyoko snuggles into her lavish couch and begins the third movie starring Tsuruga Ren. Blowing her one day off in a month on the couch in front of the TV was not her original plan but the man was brilliant. Each new character was a completely different person and he tapped into that seamlessly, not to mention he is above handsome...godly maybe. Given his performance from the last movie, a romance she fought hard to keep her heart from picking up it's pace when she thinks that the man behind that character even acknowledged her existence. Being so awestruck with the last two movies she inwardly scolds herself.
'This is for ammo against him, I'm a full supporter of Shotaro. This time I'll find some flaws.'
She hears the front door slam and she perks up from her memorized position.
"I'm home!" Shotaro's voice announces from the entryway. Kyoko looks from the closed living room door to the now paused TV stopped on a rain drenched Tsuruga.
'Not good.'
She quickly picks up the remote and for once is happy for the complicated DVD changer that holds up to five movies at one time. Switching to Shotaro's newest LP that she had recorded to DVD the previous night, it starts back up at the guitar solo where she had left off just as the living room door opens.
"Oh you're home, didn't you hear me?" Kyoko shakes her blushing face.
"No, welcome home." She says thinking how close that was.
Sho shrugs at her welcome and glances over to his LP.
"It's okay, but it's not what I wanted. I'm number one in the music charts right now you think they'd listen to me." He says his tone growing more annoyed.
"I'm rebelling till they start listening." He says with a light pout. Kyoko smiles up at him, used to his childish behavior he only shows to her.
Shotaro picks up one of his first recorded music videos from the rack and moves over to the DVD player and Kyoko's heart jumps into her throat.
"Wait!"
Sho's finger stops in midair on the way to the eject button and he looks over at her both startled by her sudden outburst and annoyed at being told what to do. Kyoko gives him her best smile and walks over to him taking the DVD from his hands.
"Why don't we go to that new restaurant you wanted to try before, we never get to go out anymore. And I haven't seen you except for short visits."
"Eh...I just wanted to relax." Sho replies but his stomach growls giving him away. Kyoko lays in on thick with a puppy dog look.
"Please..."
Shotaro sighs relenting and Kyoko jumps for joy at both the time with him alone and averting being discovered for her treachery.
Crisis averted but her bank account is about to take a hit. She sighs inwardly, no make up kit this month either. They leave after Sho puts on his disguise but it doesn't do much since his good looks and flashy cloths still drew attention.
Ren scans the dim lighted restaurant. Cow print upholstery and gaudy cowgirl and cowboy outfits for the staff. He understands that Square One is a high end American burger place but it feels a bit over the top.
Celebrating the completion of his latest modeling job, his co-stars, key photography staff and of course his manager, Yukihito Yashiro all crowded into one half of the restaurant. The patrons though clearly starstruck by the crowd and company mainly kept their distance except for a few brave ones asking for autographs; which he gives with his best gentlemanly smile. His meal arrives and his stomach turns as the size of it and he inwardly groans. He glances up at Yashiro who knows all too well his bad eating habit about food. Yashiro raises a brow at him and eats one of his own french fries as a silent reply. Ren flashes a fake gentleman smile at him and Yashiro cringes a little. Ren hears the mandatory "Howdy!" yelled by the staff as a greeting for a new customer. He glances toward the door while absently chewing a fry but his motor skills cease to function for a minute and the fry falls from his lips.
The male to his well trained eyes is wearing a black wig and dark sunglasses but a flashy outfit with holes and chains very rock star-ish. Which he has no doubt this man's business is. But it's not the male that catches his eye. His companion with that ramrod straight posture and long though less messy black hair is the culprit of his undoing. She looks around clearly taking in the décor when she catches his gaze. Her golden eyes meeting deep hazel.
'Is that a blush I see?' Ren asks himself but all too soon a waitress obstructs their staring contest and the magic spell between them breaks. The waitress sits them as a small table still within view though sadly Mogami-san sits with her back to him but he grins all the same. He stares at her back for a while and watches her fidget in her chair.
'Are her ears turning red?' He thinks with amusement.
'Oh she dropped her silverware!' And he chuckles.
Yashiro clears his throat loudly bringing him back to his table and present company. The women all look flustered and lost in his no doubt unguarded smiles and mannerisms aimed at a certain girl. Yashiro gives him a goofy smile, thinking all kinds of silly things about his charge and the girl that could make the great Tsuruga Ren truly smile.
'Damn, caught.' He puts his gentlemanly smile back on and goes back to work but he keeps a close eye on the pair. After some time he begins to see the full picture.
Kyoko and Shotaro walk into the American burger restaurant and even though it is dimly lit Sho keeps his glasses on. But she ignores his silly disguise and embraces the theme of the restaurant. The cow print and staff outfit send her imagination to the wild west with shoot outs and damsels in big puffy dresses in distress, and riding off into sunsets. But she snaps out of her imagination overload when her mind processes a set of deep hazel eyes resting on her gaze.
'...Tsuruga Ren!' The last scene she paused on pops into her head. Standing in the rain, his white shirt now see through. His black hair caked to his face and his eyes pleading asking the woman who he wronged to forgive his evil doings. Then she remembers that same man talking to her as an equal in the elevator. She feels her face heat up for a split second. It feels like everything falls away except the two of them but the waitress disconnects them with a cheery.
"Right this way, Y'all!"
The moment lost she's reminded who she's with and she intentionally puts her back to the man but the hairs on the back of her neck prove he is still staring at her.
Kyoko tries hard to ignore the feeling and she concentrates on Sho and the menu, the waitress telling them the days specials. She takes their drink orders and gives them time to choose. But all Kyoko can think about is those hazel eyes drilling holes into the back of her head willing her to turn.
'Maybe it was rude of me to see him and not say hello... What if he's mad!? But we only talked briefly plus I'm with Shotaro! I can't walk up to The Tsuruga Ren and strike up a conversation nonchalantly, his number one rival! He'd send me packing back to Kyoto...' Her head spins wildly. Sho brings her back from her thoughts and she moves too quickly to look at his menu, her silverware clattering to the floor. She quickly picks them up, the waitress brings their drinks and a fresh pair of silverware. Kyoko stays and bows slightly apologizing for the trouble. The waitress blushes and waves it away, while Sho sinks into his seat a little more. They giver her their food orders, Kyoko points at the first thing she sees having been unable to focus. Feeling the hairs on the back of her neck lessen a bit in intensity she focuses on Sho. Telling him about her jobs and the people she works with. What she thinks about his upcoming single and various other things to kill time.
Shotaro is his normal uninterested self, slumped in his chair trying to catch the eye of a pretty girl across the room. Until he hears her speaking about him but even then he does nothing but agrees.
Ren watches the pair discreetly and a crazy thought enters his mind he'd never thought about a woman before.
He noticed that they weren't holding hands or giving off any kind of being together vibe. If they were in a relationship his side was clearly lacking because he was boldly eying another woman. He didn't appear to be listening to a word she was saying, slouched over and looking uninterested. To his surprise she didn't seem to mind him ignoring her or checking out other women in front of her. Maybe they weren't a couple, childhood friends or it was a one-sided love on her part. His mind whirled with the possibilities. All he knew for sure was if she was talking to him and looking at him like that there's no way he'd be able to see or hear anything else but her.
One thought spoke louder than all the others in his brain the more he watched them.
'I should steal her away.'
Ren smiles as an idea crosses his mind and he grins. A few people from their party leave and he says his good-byes and good jobs accordingly. Waiting for the pair to finish their meal. He keeps company with some of the woman who gladly oblige for the chance to talk to him. Then he pointedly looks over at Mogami and Fuwa's table.
"Hey..." He leans in close keeping his voice low.
"Isn't that Sho Fuwa?" The women take the bait.
"Oh my god! You're right! I love his single 'Love Hurricane'! Lets go get his autograph!" His co-star says to her make-up artist searching for pens and note pads in their hand bags.
Shotaro perks up in his seat suddenly noticing the increasing number of women stalking toward him behind Kyoko.
"Shit." He throws some money on the table more than enough to pay for the meal.
"Sorry Kyoko, I've been spotted. Gotta run." With that he's out the door, a gaggle of women trailing close behind.
Kyoko though annoyed at the suddenness laughs at the scene. That's the kind of thing Shotaro always wanted, to be chased around by hordes of women. A wave of sadness surfaces but she pushes it away.
Ren leans toward Yukihito.
"I'm off the rest of the night right?" Yukihito opens his little black scheduler.
"Yeah."
Ren gives him a genuine smile, one he rarely sees.
"Okay then, see you tomorrow." He stands and makes his way toward the woman Yukihito caught him staring at earlier.
Yukihito smiles and inwardly fan girl squeals.
'Gotta call President Takarada!' He glances over at Ren's plate and scowls.
'That little...' His plate barely touched.
Kyoko sighs and resigns herself to going back to the couch with a tub of Cookie N' Cream when a hand rests on her shoulder. Connected to said hand is Tsuruga Ren.
Ren gives her a friendly smile and cocks his head in the direction of the door.
"Mogami-san, care for a walk?"
Kyoko gawks. 'I forgot about him!'
"Tsu...Tsuruga-san, um I'm sure you have...
Ren silently cuts her off with a look he gives her.
"Do you trust me?"
Stunned she looks at his outstretched hand waiting to help her out of her chair.
Her mind races. 'You don't know him, how could you trust him!?He's the enemy!'
She looks into his eyes and all those thought fall on deaf ears and they don't keep her from gently placing her hand in his.
A/N: Once again sorry for the wait. I hope you enjoyed it.
To answer a question from my readers:
"Will Kyoko still go into the acting business?"
I don't know if Kyoko will still join LME at this point, but I have an idea to introduce her into it if I get enough prompts to.