I know how I wanted this story to start, I know how I want it to end. But do I know how I want it to middle? Not even remotely.
Chapter 4:
Kyoko shifted uncomfortably under Ren's gaze. She had decided that there was no better option at this point than to be completely honest with him about her conversation with Koga. After all, if Koga decided that he had all the information he needed to spread a rumor about her and Ren dating, he was bound to find out eventually. He had been stone faced and silent through her entire explanation, but there was an aura of anger radiating off of him despite her profuse apologies for risking his reputation.
"This whole conversation happened on set?" Ren asked, when she was finished with her explanation.
That had not been the response she expected. How was that even relevant to the conversation? Certainly there was no one who could hear that conversation who would be more likely to spread a rumor than Koga himself would. Kyoko wasn't sure she had ever met anyone who was as openly antagonistic towards Ren as Koga was except, perhaps, herself when they had first met at LME.
"Yes?" Kyoko replied uncertainly. "He sort of cornered me between scenes"
Ren sort of 'hmm'd in response, and mulled her reply over for a few moments. "if you're going to have such revealing conversations with coworkers, you could at least save them for off the set. I expect a higher level of professionalism from you"
Kyoko was floored by his response. Surely, he must have been joking. He was lecturing her about professionalism, when it had been Koga who cornered her into this conversation against her will? Of all the things she had expected him to be upset about, this was not one.
"It wasn't exactly my choice" Kyoko responded. She had expected to take any anger from Ren with grace. She didn't believe that there was anything he could be upset for that wouldn't be her fault, in a situation like this, where she had risked their privacy and reputations. But to attack her professionalism was an exceptionally low-blow. "I tried multiple times to politely decline and disengage from the conversation, but he pursued me relentlessly"
A brief expression of frustration passed over Ren's face, but he quickly replaced it with his regular stoic look. This frustrated Kyoko even more. Certainly this attack on her professional standards was disingenuous, nothing more than an outlet for his anger which he could hide behind his own mask. She had hoped he would respond, but he looked away from her, probably to maintain his own composure.
Sadness and anger mixed in her stomach and she thought she might throw up. On any other day she would have been perfectly content to have Tsuruga Ren scold her for being unprofessional, it was practically what she thrived on. But today of all days she was particularly aware of how unfair it was that he was putting someone else's actions on her. Part of her wanted to scream, but she didn't have the energy. Besides, what would it have helped? He had made up his mind and wasn't really interested in listening to what she had to say.
She couldn't handle it, she was completely overwhelmed. She just needed a little time away from these overconfident actors who were bowling over her emotions as if she had less of a right to what she felt than what they thought she should. She had nothing to ground herself, no way to calm her emotions, and despite what Ren might have thought of her, she was too professional, or at least too proud, to break down in front of him.
She left without another word; it was all she could do at this point. She thought she might have seen him look up, or start to call out to her as she walked away, but she didn't dignify his half-attempts with her full attention. She was sick of always accepting fault for every indiscretion of those around her. If he wanted to have a mature conversation, they could have one when he apologized.