25
Kyoko closed her eyes as the brush moved over her eyelids. She could never get over the feeling of magic that seemed to seep into her skin when the makeup team worked on her.
Mary-Ann stirred restlessly inside of her, and Kyoko moved her hand to her wrist to fiddle with the bracelet to let herself calm down.
"You can open your eyes now, Kyoko-san." Taka said and she followed his words. She could barely recognise the woman in the mirror before her and felt her heart tremble with excitement.
The feeling soon died out as her eyes caught movement behind her through the silvery surface. Yashiro's face had a mask of professionalism but every other moment, it would crumble to show the complete bliss of the fangirl beneath.
Both her and Ren had refused to ask him about the behaviour as it felt akin to kicking a wasp nest. However, it was safe to say that the manager was in a happy mood. In such a mood she felt like he was a ticking bomb.
"Ignore him." Ren's low voice said to her side, and she felt grateful for the distraction when she slipped her glance towards Ren instead of the impending trainwreck behind her.
"If we talk to him now, it will only get worse." Ren said with a sigh and had to stop himself from rubbing his face and smudging the makeup.
Kyoko twitched a small smile his way before she relaxed her features again as Taka moved on to her lips.
Ren turned his attention to the phone in his hand as he stayed and kept her company.
Kyoko returned her hand to her bracelet to keep her focus off the manager and she exhaled in relief when Taka began to collect his tools.
"All done, Kyoko-san." Taka said and she beamed a smile his way.
'Finally! Chapter one.' Mary-Ann cheered inside her head and gave the crystal chest a tight hug before she moved closer to the surface.
Kyoko pulled a breath and glanced into the mirror again, careful to only look at herself. Her blond hair was tied in a messy bun, and she had comfortable clothes on that would fit someone planning to move a lot of boxes. Her face had a healthy blush and a slight artificial moist at her temples.
"Thank you." She said towards the beautician and angled her head to let him remove the protective cover around her neckline. She caught Ren getting up beside her and she saw the rays from his divine smile from the corner of her eye.
"You two ready?" Kurosaki's voice sounded from the side and Kyoko turned towards him.
"Of course!" The actors said as one and the smile grew even when Yashiro made a high pitch squeal in the background.
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Mary-Ann grunted as she put the last box by the others in the living room. She could hear Justin thank the movers and then his footsteps moving closer while she used the hem of her shirt to pat her forehead.
She had a moment's warning from when she heard his satisfied chuckle to when his hands found her exposed stomach.
"Justin!" She cried out but the word turned into a laugh as he knew her ticklish places. Mary-Ann fought against the attacker, but he soon pulled her up and put her on top of the box she had just carried.
She met his face and recognised the expression on his lips as he moved in between her thighs.
"Oh my. Looks like I am in trouble." Mary-Ann said with a smile that Justin easily mirrored.
"You know me so well." He smirked and Mary-Ann rolled her eyes. She relaxed into his arms as they came up around her sides and his hands began sliding up her back. It brought them closer, and the height was perfect to let her slump forward into his waiting lips.
The kiss was soft and lazy but tinged with more lustful promises. Mary-Ann melted into it and only broke away when his hands began to move towards her sides again.
"No! No more tickles." Mary-Ann quickly grasped his hands and gave him a stern glance that Justin happily ignored.
"Ohh but I love the way you snort when you laugh. It sounds like a little piglet." He grinned and Mary-Ann faked a hurt gasp.
"That's so mean!" She hmphed and saw that her play hadn't fooled the man in the slightest. Not that she expected him to fall for it, but she now had to aim for a different angle. "I don't point out your obvious flaws like that."
"Pfft. What flaws can a man like I have?" Justin grinned back with an equally fake mocking grin.
"Well, you are clearly too handsome!" Mary-Ann cursed and she saw her man react how she wanted. The teasing grin melted off and genuine happiness coloured his face.
"I can live with that." Justin smiled and Mary-Ann accepted the soft press to her lips as he leaned forward. His hands moved to her hips and she let herself get lowered to stand on the floor again. He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head.
"Just so you know, it was your piglet snort that made me fall in love with you in the first place." Justin grinned and Mary-Ann rolled her eyes.
"I thought it was my legs that got you hooked." She said and Justin hummed.
"Your legs made me look at you, your laugh made me fall. It was downhill from there. I was ruined before I knew it." Justin said in a faked sad tone and Mary-Ann shoved him playfully in the side.
"You married up." She grinned and Justin sighed loudly and fake.
"I had my whole life planned out for me. I was going to be a slob, deep in debt and driving cars I couldn't afford. Scrape by at the bottom of the company and retire early to fish every day, hidden from the debt collectors that were after me. Ohh, my childhood dream. Damn it woman, you had to make a respectable man out of me." Justin grinned and Mary-Ann laughed aloud.
"Ohh! I see! That is why I met you at your promotion party, where you were appointed to oversee the east coast trading. And I clearly remember the beetle you were driving, that was held together by duct tape. I see now that you were on a straight path towards your dream." Mary-Ann grinned and turned around to open one of the boxes. She smirked when she saw what laid on top.
"Clearly it was a part of the big plan." Justin smiled as he moved closer to her back and slipped his hands around her waist. He peaked over her shoulder into the box and saw what she was grinning about. The box was filled with picture frames and she had pulled away the protective blanket from the one on top.
It was a picture of Justin holding a small fish while large tears filled his eyes. The photographer had captured when he tried to release the hook that was embedded into the small creature's mouth. The photographer in question smirked as she stroked the distraught face of her husband as she remembered how he had hurried to return the fish to the water and refused to fish ever again.
"You are such a dork." Mary-Ann giggled and put the picture with the rest.
"But I'm your dork." Justin grinned and frog-walked behind her as she moved to another box. The grin stayed on her face as she soaked in his attention. The position had to strain his thighs and back but he followed her until she found what she was looking for.
"Yes!" Mary-Ann grinned as she recognised the content in the fifth box she opened.
"Humm?" Justin wondered but his mind had taken another course and he was mouthing his way around her neck.
"Help me with this box. It's for the bathroom. I want a shower before we continue unpacking." Mary-Ann said and lifted her shoulder until it hit his chin. Justin blinked awake and seemed to process her words. The grin on his face grew wider.
"Sure!" He grabbed the box and quickly disappeared into the hallway. She could hear him sprinting up the stairs to the upper floor.
Mary-Ann glanced after him with a smug face. She knew him too well to not know what he was planning.
'Well, it's not like I'm unwilling.' Mary-Ann chuckled and pulled off her shirt. She let it down on the floor and moved her hands to her back. She undid the hooks at the same time she heard quick steps down the stairs.
"Honey! The shower is ready." Justin skidded to a stop outside the living room and Mary-Ann was barely able to hold back her laugh when she saw her shirtless husband fake an innocent pose against the doorframe. "And you know, I wouldn't mind sharing it… you know, to save water and…" Justin's voice died out as he finally lifted his head to look her way.
Mary-Ann grinned as she walked up beside him. She could see his pupils widen as she held her bra in front of his face for a moment before she let it drop to the floor. She couldn't help but preen a bit when she saw her husband pull a deep shaky breath.
"As a responsible adult, I won't say no to help the environment." Mary-Ann whispered close to his ear before she sprinted up the stairs with a joyful laugh.
"God, I love you crazy woman." Justin melted into a divine smile as he turned around and chased after her.
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Kyoko pulled a long breath and fell on top of her bed. She had spent almost half an hour removing the stickers that had covered her nipples before the impressive glue had forfeited.
'Another day without trouble.' Kyoko thought and the smile grew on her face.
'We will finish early if that's the case.' Mary-Ann said and Kyoko could feel both the pride and the sadness in the characters heart.
Her rumblings cut short by a soft knock on the sliding door. The colour quickly built on her cheeks but the smile soon followed and she slipped out of the bed.
She glanced at the door and pulled a deep breath. She could feel him standing on the other side and she knew he waited for her move. The smile twitched and she shook her head slightly before she reached out and pulled the door open.
Kyoko turned her head up and immediately froze when she caught sight on the other side.
Ren's hair was a tousled mess from drying without styling it. The soft sleeping clothes were wrinkled and she could see a pillow under his arm.
Her heart began to crumble beneath the painfully cute visuals even before she made her eyes focus on his face.
The green eyes twinkled with mirth as Ren tilted his head to the side and a small pout grew on his lips.
"Can I sleep beside you, please?" Ren asked and Kyoko could only stare. A shiver travelled from her toes to her head and the scarlet colour followed. Ren couldn't help the smirk from twitching the corners of his lips but it only made her heartstrings snap at an increasing pace.
Kyoko wanted to crumble to the floor and check her face for nosebleeds while she wailed out loud. However, Mary-Ann managed to just barely reel her in and Kyoko gripped the doorframe to keep herself upright. She fought back against her weak knees and she met his mischievous grin.
"You can, if I can get a shoulder massage in exchange." Kyoko challenged back with just a slight shiver in her words. Ren's eyes blew wide and Kyoko felt some strength return to her legs when the stakes evened out.
"Deal." Ren grinned and Kyoko yelped when he suddenly scoped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. Kyoko still fought with her bright red face while Ren's happy chuckle filled the small room.
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Kyoko knew she was in trouble. Every morning did she wake up in the arms of the man she loved and it was harder and harder to pull away. She often found herself pressing his arm to her chest and nuzzling into his palm as his heat covered her back. The slight squeeze he gave her in his sleep made her hum in delight and scoot back, deeper into his embrace.
She usually stayed like that until the alarm sounded and then acted like she had just woken up and gently pulled away from him. He always let her go and his smile was always soft when she turned her head to greet him. She never saw him blink his eyes in confusion or surprise so she guessed that he was either not against it or used to that level of affection. She tried to not let that second thought stick too much.
Ren was the ever-steadfast gentleman. He always stayed within the limits and it made her skin crawl with what she assumed was frustration.
Mary-Ann could do whatever she wanted with Justin and Kyoko noticed that she more often than not interpreted the unspecified lines in the script with as much intimacy as the scene would allow. If the scene described a cosy mood, she would climb up into his lap and stroke her hands through his hair as they delivered their lines. Justin always smiled brightly her way and she found herself helplessly lost in his deep green eyes more than once. Not enough to lose her direction while acting out a scene, but enough to need the clipper to return to herself.
She could barely hold herself back when they met in their rooms. She found herself half about to climb up into his embrace more than once before she managed to stop, and the blush never seemed to leave her face.
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Ren loved his life. How could he not, when he could follow the love of his life grow confident and bold in front of him.
He had no trouble keeping himself in check as the bully inside of him only needed to watch her tiptoe around the edge to be satisfied. The blush on her face travelled to his heart and he could live off the endorphins it brought.
He had no doubt that she wanted to spend time with him, talking to him and to his surprise, touching him. He hadn't expected it from her for a long time.
Ren smiled behind his hand as he remembered the first morning he had woken with her in his arms since their agreement.
He had frozen in surprise when he found her as the little spoon, surrounded by his body. Her head had rested on his arm and they had shared the same comforter. He had felt her body pressed to his and he had racked his brain for a way to separate them without waking her up.
His mind had been wired high and he had decided on rolling to his back when he noticed her move.
Ren's smirk grew even wider when he remembered how she had reached out and carefully put a finger to a small scar on his arm, like to measure how big it was before retreating her arm again. It had been too fluid to be an action in her sleep and Ren had realised that she had been awake for a while but had chosen to not move out of his arms.
The bright light in his heart travelled through the roots and lit up his whole being. Cain didn't even bother to turn his eyes away as he knew that it wouldn't help. His retinas had been burned too many times in the last days to even tickle him either way.
Ren had been careful every morning when he woke up and more often than not, found her climbing deeper into his embrace. He fed off the feelings that engraved themself into his being.
…..
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The days flew past and a sense of panic began to grow inside her.
"Too soon." She mumbled and pulled the hem on her shirt. A sigh slipped her lips and she forced her hands to let go of the fabric. She lifted her head and glanced into the mirror again.
The woman who looked back at her couldn't completely hide the sadness in her eyes.
A sound from her phone made her jump and she glanced at the time.
'I'm late!' Kyoko paled and quickly grabbed her bag and ran out.
She didn't have time for the elevator and left skid marks at each landing of the staircase, as she took the curves in her highest speed.
She slowed down when she moved through the lobby and outside. An unmarked car with dark windows waited for her and Yashiro rolled the window down to wave at her.
"Morning Kyoko-chan!" He smiled and she bowed his way before she quickly opened the door and slipped inside.
"Morning!" She greeted and could feel the large hand that wrapped around hers as she used the other arm to close the door behind her.
She turned quickly to smile towards Yashiro but then couldn't help turning to the owner of the hand that held hers.
"Good morning, Kyoko." Ren smiled towards her and she knew that if the tabloids ever could capture a picture of the expression on his face, the earnings for that picture alone would make them settle for life. She was thankful it had evolved a bit each day to allow her to get used to it.
She had tempered her eyes every day, refusing to buckle. She knew that she couldn't hold back her blush but she was proud to keep her eyes steady.
"Good morning, Ren." She answered and had no idea that the emotions in her eyes made him feel exactly the same as her.
"Ready for the last day on location?" He asked and Kyoko shook her head.
"Not in the slightest. But I will do my best."
"No one expects anything less from you." Yashiro added from the front as he put the car into gear and began to move. Kyoko smiled and squeezed Ren's hand slightly. He seemed to get what she wanted to convey as he nodded.
"I will miss the house, and the hotel." Ren said in a low enough voice to not be heard to the front.
"Me too." Kyoko giggled slightly and then relaxed into her seat. She wasn't alone with her thoughts.
It would soon end, but she only needed to feel his hand in hers and the weight of the bracelet around her wrist to remember that another chapter would start after their current job was done.
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She tried to ignore the thoughts. That it was the last time she would sit in the make-up chair, or the last time she walked through the front door. However, it was hard to ignore the signs as a moving crew had already begun to tear down the temporary buildings.
Kyoko watched them work as she waited for Ren to finish a scene.
"Kyoko-chan. You are up soon." Mika called for her.
The actress pulled a calming breath and prepared herself before she followed the assistant for the last time.
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Ren pulled the shirt around his frame until it fell around his hips the way he knew looked best. He threw a glance towards the Director and found that their eyes met over the distance. Ren smiled and tilted his head in a greeting.
"Enjoy the last scene. I saved the best for last." Kurosaki grinned widely and then winked. Ren only nodded but he once again secretly thanked the director for his thoughtfulness.
The actor was rather sure that the director had caught the change in his lead actors' relationship. Ren had noticed that the order of the scenes had changed. Instead of the natural order he had chosen to finish with one of the sweeter acts.
Ren knew the moment she walked into the room and his eyes sought her out.
"Kyoko-chan! Ready for the last stretch?" Kurosaki asked and Ren saw her greet him and bow.
"I will do my best."
"Of that I have no doubt." Kurosaki chuckled and Ren couldn't help the smile on his lips when he saw the trusted camera crew roll their eyes and berate his co-actor for her gentle ways.
"Everyone ready?" The director asked and Ren moved until he reached his spot.
Kyoko sat down on the couch and Taka glanced over her makeup one last time before giving a thumbs up.
The crew moved to their spots and Ren took the tray that an assistant held out for him.
"Ready, set and Go!" Kurosaki chuckled and Ren happily moved aside for Justin.
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Mary-Ann fell against the backrest and made a move to put her legs on the table in front of her when she caught movement to her side.
A smile grew on her lips when she saw the concentrated expression on Justin's face. She quickly moved the few magazines that laid on the table to make room for the tray. Justin furrowed his brows as he balanced his load into the empty spot in the middle. He grinned victoriously when he managed to put it down safely and he immediately joined her on the sofa.
Mary-Ann fell against the backrest again when he suddenly picked up her feet. She didn't even begin to complain as she knew what he intended.
He easily pulled the socks off her feet and his large, warm hands squeezed the perfect spot from the beginning.
A sigh of content left her lips and even if it was unscripted, she couldn't help it. Ren had racked up some practice during their evenings and he seemed to easily find her sore spots.
"How was work?" Justin asked gently and Mary-Ann sighed.
"Honestly, not much to complain about. The coffee machine broke down but I only needed to point it out to the director to make him rush in another one. It didn't even take an hour."
"It helps that he is more addicted to caffeine than even you."
"Hey, you know that caffeine is solely responsible for the large Christmas bonus that I will receive this year. Be nice." Mary-Ann hummed as Justin pushed another sore spot. Her husband chuckled.
"Oh, it's hard to forget the three days of around the clock work you pulled to finish the project. I think you were hallucinating in the end." Justin said with a pointed stare and Mary-Ann shrugged.
"I think I'm hallucinating regularly. I could almost swear I heard someone talk in our basement yesterday."
"I heard it today." Justin said and a frown grew on his brow. "Like an argument or something."
"Ohh, you see. The crazy is spreading." Mary-Ann grinned and wiggled her toes to make him continue massaging her feet. Justin waited for an extra moment to tease her and then pushed the perfect spot just the moment she opened her mouth to protest.
The loud groan that slipped her parted lips made him grin widely.
"I knew you would make me lose my mind, crazy gal." Justin teased and Mary-Ann found no reason to protest.
"Well, life's funnier that way." She managed to hum as she closed her eyes and relaxed her body completely. She got a moment's warning when she felt the cushion beneath her shift. She opened her eyes and saw Justin stand up with a grip of her ankles. She quickly lifted her head and he pulled until she was flat on the sofa. He looked teasing but she already lifted her arms to welcome him. His smile turned softer and he carefully laid on top of her.
His weight was mostly on her legs and on his elbows that he put on either side of her shoulders. It was a tight fit but it worked. His head hovered over hers and she smiled sweetly towards him.
"Is your life fun?" He asked with weight behind his words. She carefully gripped his face and pulled his lips to hers. It was only a light peck but it conveyed her feelings completely.
"Fun, exciting, safe and bright." She said and pecked his lips again. "As soon as you came into my life, I knew that I would never regret it." She said and Justin melted above her. Her host knew that smile and Mary-Ann learned that she loved it too.
"Words can't even describe how much I love you." Justin said and his eyes moved to her lips on their own. "But I will make it my life's mission to make it clear to you." He said and shifted slightly to be able to stroke a strand of hair out of her face.
"I will listen and I will learn. And you must do the same for me when I try to teach you my feelings." Mary-Ann said and put her arms around his neck to bring him in closer.
"Oh, I will." Justin said and kissed her more heatedly. Her lower lip got pulled into his mouth and she closed her eyes to savour the feeling.
Slow soft kisses fell over her lips and she let her hand slip in under his shirt to trace his warm skin.
The clipper fell to give them time to undress and the assistants placed their clothes around the sofa. The makeup team moved around them both to make them look less ordered. Kyoko sneaked a peak towards Ren but was interrupted by Taka who gave her the go. Kyoko heard the personal-space-protection-party-sash vail out loud from a corner of her mind when she didn't even hesitate to climb up and lay down on Ren's chest. He was ever the gentleman and averted his gaze before the clipper sounded again.
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Justin reached for the unmoved tray, picked up a piece of fruit, and put it in her mouth. Mary-Ann chewed it slowly and gently stroked his chest.
"I have an idea for the spare room upstairs." Justin said slowly and Mary-Ann swallowed the fruit with a knowing smile.
"Is that so?" She asked and Justin turned to watch her face.
"Yeah… We have a house, are happy and the Christmas bonus will make us financially settled." He said carefully and Mary-Ann adjusted until she could turn her head towards him.
"Okay." Mary-Ann said.
"Okay?!" Justin's eyes blew wide and his face filled with excitement. "Really? Are you sure?!" He asked and Mary-Ann chuckled as his joy was contagious.
"Well, I already know you give a decent foot rub, your cooking is sublime and you can work from home if push comes to shove. I believe you are ready to handle me as pregnant." She laughed and Justin beamed bright with happiness.
"When?"
"I can stop taking my pills whenever." She said and Justin began to slightly tremble with excitement.
"Oh shit! Are we really doing it?" He asked and Mary-Ann laughed out loud and climbed higher on his chest.
"If you want to." She said and Justin opened his mouth and closed it a few times before he simply nodded. "I guessed so. I put the books up earlier and there were quite a few volumes I hadn't seen before." She grinned towards him and Justin blushed.
"I… I wanted to know everything before I asked that of you. It sounds… hard and painful." Justin frowned and his eyebrows twitched to show a bit of uncertainty.
"We can handle it." Mary-Ann said smilingly. "With you by my side, I can manage anything."
"I will do my best, mam." Justin made a salute and his face then split into a wide grin. He chuckled smugly and ducked his hands under the blanket that covered them.
"Hey! I haven't stopped taking them yet." Mary-Ann said and Justin pulled her higher and followed until he sat, resting against the armrest and with her straddling his hips.
"Training, it's called training." Justin grinned and dived in against her neck. Mary-Ann snorted but the sound followed with a sharp gasp. The blanket fell from her back and showed how his large hands kneaded the taunt muscles.
Kyoko knew that the crew moved around them but she only followed Ren's small whispered sounds and movements.
She closed her eyes to feel more with her body as he set a slow rhythm. He sprinkled her neck and shoulders with kisses and she let her hands gently hold his hair. It was instinctive and she angled him to meet her lips. It meant that the sounds stopped instructing her but she had no need for them.
She pulled him impossibly close and followed how his hands wanted her to move. She tasted his lips carefully but her breath was getting in the way. She desperately needed more air and she threw her head back. Her back arched and he guided her hips downwards.
He didn't let their hips touch but only the slight friction between their bodies made her exhale shakingly. She wanted to feel it again and his hands paused their guidance when she made the movements herself.
She wanted to feel more and gently guided him to lean further back. She found his lips open in a shaking exhale and she softly soothed them with her own. His hands on her back burned hot tracks towards her hips and she followed their slight pushes.
Their kisses got messier and her head was full of everything she was feeling.
She wasn't careful with her knees and she finally buckled. Her hips collided with his and both bit back their sounds as they trembled with the feeling.
Kyoko panicked slightly that she had destroyed the take but Ren quickly melted their lips together again. His hands simply lifted her slightly before he held her still against him.
The kisses slowed down until there were only small pecks. When Kyoko opened her eyes, she could see the gentle smile in her partners and she smiled softly back.
"I love you." She whispered and the eyes glimmered brightly as he kissed her again.
"Love you too." He said as he pulled the blanket up around her shoulders.
Mary-Ann grabbed the wheel firmer.
"That's why I know that you are crazy." She grinned.
"Guilty by association, I guess." Justin said smugly and Mary-Ann pinched his side for good measure. Justin scooted down and pulled her with him until they were back to how they started.
Justin leaned over and picked another piece of fruit off the tray. He fed her again and grinned.
"I have an idea for the spare room upstairs." He said cunningly and Mary-Ann laughed out loud.
"Not falling for that again." She grinned and Justin made a small pout before he grinned.
"I'm just kidding. My heart and body are fully content at the moment." He said and Mary-Ann smiled softly. She turned until she could grip the armrest at either side of his head. His eyes blew wide as she slid up his body to tower above him.
"Are you sure?" She asked teasingly and Justin opened his mouth in fake shock.
"Oh, just you wait!" He said as his hands flew up to tickle her sides. Mary-Ann laughed out again as she retaliated with the same move. She tipped towards the side and Justin followed until they screamed and fell out of the sofa. They tried to free themself from the blanket that was tightly wrapped around their hips before they gave up. Both Justin and Mary-Ann laughed loudly as they continued their previous fight.
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Kyoko didn't hear the clipper but only felt when Mika draped the robe around her shoulders.
"Good job." She smiled and Kyoko snapped back into her head with a bang. She quickly glanced down to see Ren trapped beneath her. His smile was a bit strained and his eyes were averted again.
Kyoko quickly got up on her feet and put her arms into the robe. She tied it around her waist and then turned around to give Ren the same courtesy as she had received. She could hear him quickly get up behind her and dress in his own robe. When they both were done, they turned towards the crew.
The living room was packed with people and Kyoko felt her blush burn strong on her face.
"Everyone! That was the final scene with our two lead actors!" Kurosaki said loudly and clapped his hands. Everyone followed and Kyoko and Ren smiled towards each other warmly before meeting the eyes of the crew.
"Thank you so much for taking care of us for this project." Ren said and smiled. "It has been a pleasure collaborating with you all." Ren said with a bright smile that left half the crew swooning.
"Really, thank you for taking care of me for this first leading role. I know that I will always remember this project. Thank you." Kyoko channelled her professional persona and spoke fluently. "I can't wait to see the final product." She added as it was completely true. There were several special effects and music that would be added and she couldn't wait for it to be completed. She also wanted to see how the director arranged the different scenes together.
"No pressure." Kurosaki pulled his collar and everyone laughed. "It has been a pleasure working with you two. Give me a call whenever your schedule clears up. I have a few projects on ice that are waiting for a spark like yours." He winked their way and Kyoko felt her heart jump but kept her face professional.
"Thank you! I would love to work with you again." She smiled and more than one of the crew fell for her heartfelt shine.
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Mary-Ann sighed loudly inside her head and bowed towards the crew in the cover of Kyoko's mind.
'I will try to let you meet Justin again.' Kyoko said a bit guilty and Mary-Ann slowly shook her head.
'You have your own love-story to lead. Don't worry about me. I know that we always will be together in the hearts of all the viewers.' Mary-Ann said and Kyoko felt herself marvel over the mature woman's words.
´That's right. It's not over. Every one of them will live on, forever on the screen. Setsuka, Momoji, Natsu, Mio and Mary-Ann. They will always be remembered.' Kyoko warmed up and her reluctant feelings evaporated. Only proudness and satisfaction were left.
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Ren knew he was stalling. Another shirt was placed into his bag but he stopped and glanced around the room for a moment before continuing.
It was a bittersweet farewell. The room had been the place where so many things began and so many memories were made. He didn't want it to end, but he knew that it inevitably was.
A soft knock sounded on the door behind him and the smile on his lips grew again.
Ren turned and slid the door open to reveal the girl next door, the love of his life.
'My girlfriend.' He thought and the smile grew wider.
"Hey, are you done?" Kyoko asked with a bright smile and Ren revealed a guilty smile in return.
"Not yet. I feel reluctant to leave." He admitted and his brows furrowed slightly.
"Why?" Kyoko asked gently and he turned towards her completely.
"So many things happened during this shooting. Some part of me doesn't want it to end." He admitted and wondered why she didn't seem to feel the same.
"Why would it end?" Kyoko asked and Ren sat down on his bed to let her meet his eyes on the same level. Kyoko smiled and moved closer to him. He loved how she moved with confidence as she reached out and stroked his face. "Our father said something to me after the audition." Kyoko smiled softly and Ren felt his eyes widen. He still wondered what had happened then but didn't want to interrupt her if she was about to tell him something.
Kyoko sought his eyes and a small blush began to warm her face.
"I fought with my feelings. I knew I acted with my own emotions in the audition and was afraid that you would realise what I felt for you. I didn't want to lose your friendship and as I believed that you loved another, it terrified me that you would pity me if you knew. It felt like it was only a matter of time before you would know and I would lose you." Kyoko said and Ren felt his heart squeeze in pain for her.
"Kyoko..." He began but stopped when she shook her head.
"It's fine. Father put me on the right path again. He reminded me of what I already knew. And he told me to not feel jealous of my past self that had spent time with you, but to be jealous of the future me that would have spent even more time with the one I love." Kyoko smiled and Ren felt his heart warm up at the thought.
'Yes. The movie is over. But it doesn't mean that our time is.'
"You are right." He smiled and pulled her closer. He wrapped his arms around her small body and rested his head against her shoulder. "I will miss living this close to you but in a few years, I'm sure I can convince you to move in with me." He grinned and he felt the hand that stroked his head paus and heat up. He felt her body tense but then slowly relax again.
"Sigh." Kyoko sounded out loud and Ren turned his head to glance at her expression. His whole body warmed up when he saw the smirk on her face. "Instinctively I wanted to reject the idea, but after spending one millionth of a second thinking, I realised that you would have no trouble convincing me to stay for a while and twenty years later I would remember that I never went back." She said with fondness filling her voice and Ren felt himself swoon. The bright light in his body filled every corner and he knew he was blushing. He filled with energy and he couldn't sit still. Kyoko saw his face and didn't seem hurt that he broke their hug.
Instead, he could feel her amused eyes follow him as he threw the rest of his stuff into the bag and forcefully closed it.
"In a rush?" Kyoko asked with a poorly hidden chuckle.
"Yeah! We need to make a stop on the way home." Ren grinned towards her and Kyoko lifted an eyebrow as a question. "Towles, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, personal slippers, mug, pillow, a few sets of spare clothes, pyjamas…." Ren quickly named everything he could think of that she would need at his place and he burned even brighter with happiness when he saw her mouth fall open. He continued to list every small stuff he could think of and even when her mouth closed, she didn't voice any protest.
.
.
Kyoko knew her face was beet red the whole ride back to Tokyo and Yashiro threw her a few worried glances through the mirror every few miles. Ren happily compiled a list in his phone as Kyoko finally had convinced him that there wasn't any rush and that they could look for stuff in a few days' time.
She felt that things were about to spiral out of control but a major part of her refused to stop it. Everything that Ren had said and what she had seen on his face had moved through her head too. She would miss him terribly and she knew that they would be beyond busy when they returned to the city.
'If I live at his place, I will see him almost every day.' Kyoko thought as Mary-Ann cheered her on from the back of her head.
'Can't wait to have that man before my eyes, every day.' Natsu purred happily in agreement.
'It wouldn't be hard to keep it hidden with the tight security at his building.' Setsu said to dismiss the worries in her host's heart. The sister was a rebel but even she would not know how to learn anything about the other residents. She wouldn't even be able to enter the building.
'You should stay by his side.' Momoji agreed and Kyoko shook her head slightly to be able to distract herself from their voices. She agreed with all of them, but she also felt that there would be a time and place for it to happen. She would wait for a sign to show itself.
Kyoko lifted her eyes and realised that the outside had already changed. The open fields had been replaced with buildings and she even recognised a few of them.
She looked forward and saw the familiar sign of the Darumaya further ahead.
"Kyoko, we are here." Yashiro said and steered to the side. Kyoko saw Ren snap his head up from his phone, and quickly reached out for her hand to squeeze it. She gave him a warm smile in return.
"I will help you with your bag." Ren said and Kyoko began to shake her head but he had already moved outside. She fought the blush as he held the door open for her and reached inside to take her hand.
Kyoko felt her heart jump and distracted herself by turning towards Yashiro.
"Thank you for the ride." She said and saw the fangirl barely able to keep his face composed in the front seat.
"Good night, Kyoko. I'll pick you up tomorrow at nine." Yashiro managed to get out and Kyoko nodded in response.
"Good night." Kyoko took the offered hand and let Ren guide her out on the street. It was late at night and the few people about didn't pay them any attention as far as she could tell.
Ren let go of her hand when she was outside and collected her bag from the trunk.
"It's fine, I can take it from here." Kyoko said and Ren snorted.
"Never." He grinned and Kyoko couldn't help but chuckle as he held out a hand as a gesture to let her lead the way.
Kyoko turned towards the store in front of her and the blush immediately climbed on her face as she saw both her guardians standing in the doorway and watching them.
Ren usually tensed up in front of the Taisho but his happy mood wasn't able to dim and he continued to smile brightly as they moved closer.
"Oh Kyoko!" The Okami-san said with both happiness and a bit of worry in her voice.
"I'm back!" Kyoko greeted and smiled brightly towards them. The Okami smiled towards her but the Taisho held his eyes firmly on Ren with an increasing amount of confusion growing on his brows.
"Good evening." Ren greeted and the bright smile lit up the doorway. Kyoko couldn't help but turn her eyes to him and as their eyes met, the divine smile turned brighter.
"I was just about to call you Kyoko." The Okami said worriedly and Kyoko had to turn her head towards her when she heard the tone.
"Has something happened?" Kyoko could immediately feel Ren's warm hand supporting her on her back as she turned towards the couple.
"Well yes. The neighbours chimney fell and made a hole in the ceiling in your room. We did not notice it until after the rain and there was a lot of water inside. We saved most of your things but I am afraid your wardrobe and bed have been damaged by the rusty water that ran from the pipe." The Okami said worriedly and Kyoko gaped. "The repairmen will arrive tomorrow to fix the roof and the neighbours' insurance will cover all the damage, but it will take a few days before your room is ready again."
"I need to pack my things so that they aren't in the way." Kyoko quickly said and the Okami shook her head.
"The neighbours and I already took care of it. They were very regretful for not noticing how damaged their chimney was and immediately came to help." She said and Kyoko bit her lip. "I checked everything. Your clothes, the bed and your comforter are destroyed but everything else made it. There was one dress in a cover in your closet that also made it." She reassured Kyoko. The girl knew that she meant the dress from Verdani and her heart jumped when she was assured it was safe.
"Can I take a look?" Kyoko asked and the Okami nodded. Kyoko quickly glanced towards Ren and he met her eyes with a reassuring calm smile. Kyoko exhaled and nodded before they all stepped inside.
.
.
Ren put the suitcase by the door when he noticed the restaurant was closed and then rubbed soothing circles on Kyoko's back.
His whole focus was on her and he didn't need words as he could feel her slightly lean into his hand. He knew she wanted him there and he followed her deeper inside.
He had been to the Darumaya before but he had never seen her room. He knew that her things had been removed but he was still a bit curious about where she was staying.
Kyoko moved in front and as he was so attuned to her feelings, he knew when they reached her room and stopped before even she did. A shocked inhale left her and he followed her gaze towards what she was watching.
Ice cold fear gripped his body when he saw the long metal pipe that crossed almost half the room in front of him. There was a large hole in the ceiling where it had broken its way inside and Ren could see a tarp flapping above, covering the opening from the elements. Stains of red brown water were on the whole floor and only a few spots were free. He guessed the larger spot was where her bed had been and the fear gripped his heart again. The edge of the pipe was only a few feet away from the bed. His hand moved from her back to her shoulder and he gripped it hard to remind her that he was there.
"Thank god no one were home at the time, it must have happened when we picked up the groceries." The Okami said with a shiver and Ren saw Taisho grip her shoulder in a reassuring way. Ren felt Kyoko lean into his side and he gladly let her borrow his strength.
After he made sure that Kyoko's face only showed general worry, did he turn his head towards the older couple.
"What can I do to help?" He asked, firmly but kindly and the pair turned their heads towards them.
Ren knew that he was far from the Taisho's good book but he wouldn't let it stop him from helping. Ren met the man's gaze and was immediately surprised when the usual coldness didn't greet him.
Ren watched as the older pair looked between each other and Kyoko that leaned heavily into his embrace. He saw them nod slightly and a warm smile spread on the Okami's lips.
"Kyoko dear." She said and the girl in his arms turned towards the older woman. "We could push together some pillows and blankets to make a temporary bed for you but I'm afraid your room won't be ready for a while. If you want, we will set it up in the dining room but you know how cold it gets in the night. Would you mind if we take Tsuruga-sans offer to help, to ask him to house you for a while?" The Okami asked and Ren felt the Taisho's eyes on him again.
He didn't mind. The only thing in his head was to help and he would do whatever Kyoko wanted.
"Oh." Kyoko seemed to wake up from her stunned state and patted her cheeks slightly. She glanced at the room again and a slight shiver travelled her body. Ren stroked his thumbs on her arms to give her some warmth and she turned her gaze up to his.
"Do you mind if I stay for a while?" Kyoko asked him and Ren felt a soft smile play on his lips when he noticed the humour in her voice.
"Not at all." He said brightly and Kyoko chuckled slightly before she turned to the couple.
"Thank you for saving my things. I will take Tsuruga-san up on his offer to help, you don't have to worry about me." Kyoko said warmly and the older couple brought her in for a hug.
"Mogami-san, I will tell Yashiro-san to wait for a moment if you want to collect some things." Ren said and Kyoko smiled brightly towards him.
Ren saw that she felt better already and he smiled warmly her way before he pulled out his phone and excused himself to make the call.
Yashiro had the decency to not sound excited about the accident and the result of it and Ren gave the manager some points in his heart.
Ren quickly ended the call and turned to return to Kyoko but stopped when he noticed the Taisho in the doorway. Both men stood still for a while and Ren let the older man size him up.
"I'm glad to see there is only one of you now." He suddenly said and Ren felt his heart leap. "I hope it will stay that way as Kyoko stays at your place."
Ren watched the man quietly for a moment but then smiled softly.
"She is the one who made me whole again." He confessed and Ren let himself open his heart completely. Whatever he showed on his face made the Taisho nod and his lips even twitched in a smile.
"She is a special young woman. But she wouldn't have succeeded if you didn't dare let it happen. Don't let both your efforts go to waste." The older man said and Ren felt something in the gaze change when he studied Ren expression again.
"Sigh." The Taisho shook his head slightly and turned around. But not before Ren could catch the small smile on his face. Ren tried to figure out what it meant but Kyoko soon caught his attention as she ran down the stairs with a large box with glossy finish in her hands.
"Mom sent a package." She exclaimed and Ren read the label on the box with a smile.
"Well, looks like you won't be out of clothes then." He said as he recognised the brand.
"Is it clothes?" Kyoko asked in surprise and Ren nodded.
"Most likely, that brand is famous for making custom clothes for celebrities." He said and Kyoko paled. "There is no way to return them as they are especially made for you." He added and Kyoko pouted as she gave him a calculated look. "I told you that she would spoil you." He grinned her way.
"You weren't joking." She realised. "She really sent me clothes."
"Very timely I must say." He hummed and Kyoko hugged the box a bit harder. "Should I put it in the car?" He wondered and Kyoko nodded. He gripped the box and she hesitantly let it go. Ren beamed brightly her way and then took both the box and her suitcase before heading out.
Yashiro had moved the car to the side street that was less busy with traffic and he opened the boot when he noticed Ren approaching.
"Is she okay?" He asked and Ren nodded before putting down his cargo.
"Yes. She is fine." Ren confirmed and turned back towards the store. He however slowed his steps when he already found Kyoko and the owners in the doorway.
Yashiro moved with him and greeted the couple with a bow. He had introduced himself before and they greeted him shortly. The Okami wrapped Kyoko in a hug again and gave Ren a warm smile at the same time.
"Take care of yourself Kyoko. We will keep you updated." She said and Kyoko nodded.
"Take care of yourselves too." She said warmly before she turned to the Taisho and received his hug too. When they let go, they only smiled towards each other for a moment as words weren't needed. In the end the Okami lightly elbowed the Taisho. Ren and Kyoko turned to him curiously as he grunted slightly and reached into his pocket.
He pulled an envelope out of it and put it in Kyoko's hand.
"Do with these as you wish." He said and Kyoko took the envelope with a curious expression.
"Take your time. You don't need to open it now." The Okami said and Kyoko nodded with a bit of confusion but put the envelope in her bag.
"See you soon Kyoko." The Taisho said and The Okami smiled with unshed tears in her eyes.
"See you soon." Kyoko greeted and then turned to follow Ren and Yashiro to the car. They bowed the older couple's way and entered the car to leave.
.
.
Ren put the suitcase and the box in the guestroom while Kyoko put away some things in the bathroom.
They both dropped exhausted in the sofa when they were finished.
"I'm sorry about your room." Ren said and Kyoko smile warmly towards him.
"Noone got hurt and it was covered by the insurance. It could have been much worse." Kyoko said and Ren nodded.
"You could have been there." He said and Kyoko leaned into his frame to seek comfort for them both.
"But I wasn't, I was with you. And I'm still with you." She said and Ren couldn't help but smile at that.
"Yes, thank god." He said and they only soaked in each other's presence for a while.
..
.
Kyoko felt like it was some cosmic interference that was at work. She had asked for a sign but it felt like someone had slapped her in the face with it, moments after she had thought of it.
'Maybe it was fairies.' She smiled and turned slightly until she could put her head on Ren's shoulder. It would have been comfortable if not for the sharp corner that poked into her side.
Kyoko soon remembered the envelope she had transferred from the bag to her pocket as she had put her things away.
Curiosity filled her again as she saw the unmarked front and she shifted a bit again to be able to open it.
She could feel Ren look the same way, but when she pulled out the wad of papers and saw the handwritten letter in the front, he respectfully turned away his gaze.
Kyoko recognised the writing from Okami-san and began to read silently.
'Dear Kyoko.
The universe works in mysterious ways sometimes. We are ever grateful for the paths that led you to us. You are forever a part of our family and will always have a home beneath our roof. We might get old but we are not yet blind or deaf. We know that your heart has expanded and now has room for other people than us.
You are a young woman, but you have an old soul. We love you and trust you to now know to make your own decisions. We will always support you, and always be here for you. This is not a goodbye. We will be here and your room will soon be ready for you again. But if your heart tells you to take a detour, you should listen to it.
We hope to see you reach the top.
Love,
Your family and biggest fans.'
Kyoko felt the tears burn in her eyes as she read the letter again. The smile on her face burned warmly for a long while until she realised that the letter only was one page but there were a few more papers in her hands. She curiously turned to the next sheet and her whole body tensed up.
"Kyoko, are you okay?" Ren asked beside her and she stiffly sat up to face him as she flipped through the papers.
She could feel Ren's eyes burn her face but she flipped through the papers in silence.
As she reached the last one, her face burned bright like a sunset.
"Kyoko?" Ren asked again with thick worry in his voice. Kyoko folded the papers and as she couldn't get a word out of her lips, she simply used them to press against his. She felt him relax beneath her touch and his shoulders dropped.
She soon pulled back and when he looked like he wanted to protest she handed him the first letter. Ren caught her gesture and he gripped the paper carefully.
"Are you sure?" He asked and she simply nodded.
She watched him read in silence and her heart warmed up when she saw a fond smile form on his lips.
"They are good people. They care about you immensely." He said and Kyoko made sure he was focused on her when she held up the next paper.
She saw his eyes blow wide then he read the headline.
"Permission to date…" She said and fought to find her voice again. "Tsuruga Ren." She continued and she saw Ren freeze in place.
Kyoko turned the next paper towards him.
"Permission to date…" She said and showed him the next one. "Hizuri Kuon." She could barely get the words out as she was too surprised.
"What?" Ren managed to say. Kyoko turned the last paper around before he could ask anything more and showed the picture that was on it.
The Hizuris were seated next to the Darumaya-couple and they all smiled towards the camera that Julie was holding. The background showed mountains of empty dishes.
There were two messages written beneath the pictures. One in Japanese and one in English.
'His parents are lovely. Hubby could not believe his eyes when they ate everything we had.'
'Your guardians are absolutely lovely and such good chefs. Please bring them in the future to meet us again.'
Ren could only gape as a fish. She could see his eyes take in both forms and the picture. Everything was signed and her heart began to pick up pace.
"Ren." Kyoko said softly and Ren blinked a few times before he turned his eyes towards her.
"Yes?" He asked and Kyoko moved forward to press her lips to his again. He willingly let her and his body relaxed again before her eyes.
Kyoko leaned her head against his and just breathed the same air for a while.
"I..." She began and saw that Ren opened his eyes to meet hers. "I look forward to the future, where I will have spent even more time with the man I love." Kyoko said and a soft smile filled her lips.
Ren could only agree.
"I look forward to a future by your side." Ren said and their silly smiles grew until bright light and sunshine filled their little slice of heaven.
.
.
Yashiro staggered inside the doors and whimpered painfully as he crumpled on the floor.
"Oh dear!" A deep voice made the poor manager almost dissolve into molecules. "What on earth happened?"
"Disaster level." The manager managed to choke out. "It has turned to disaster level."
"What has?" The president asked as he took a seat in front of the dishevelled man.
"I'm only one man." Yashiro said with tears forming in his eyes. "I am only ONE man. I can maybe oversee one, but not two." He groaned.
"I know fully well that I can trust you with organising the end of the world, Yashiro. I doubt there is anything that can throw you for a loop."
"It's not a loop. It's a mountain! No, two mountains!" Yashiro trembled his chin and finally gathered strength to lift his eyes. Lory tilted his head and scratched his chin.
"You have any idea what he is talking about?" He glanced over his shoulder and Rudi appeared from the shadows.
"It might have something to do with his charges." Rudi helpfully intervened and Lory nodded.
"That sounds plausible." He turned towards Yashiro again and patted the man on his shoulder.
"It's perfectly understandable if two mountains are too much for you. I will assign someone else for Mogami-kun if you give me some time. Ren is more than enough to manage."
"He is not the problem! He is far from the problem." Yashiro said and pulled his hair.
Lory's frowned and scratched his chin again.
"Then who…"
"Kyoko! She suddenly hatched from her cocoon. And I can barely keep the moths away!"
Lory's eyes blew wide with surprise but the smile soon grew on his lips. He glanced towards Rudi who had turned his phone towards him. The screen showed Kyoko through the lens of the security camera as she walked through the lobby of LME. The confident stride, the beautiful clothes and the woman that carried them, all came together into a breathtaking image.
The smile grew wicked the more he watched and Rudi nodded slightly.
"I will book a venue."
"This will be a graduation party people will talk about for ages!" Lory agreed and the small "Oh no!" from Yashiro only made him grin wider.
- Author's note-
This is the end.
For now… I reached the ending I wanted but a lot has happened in the manga that I want to incorporate into this story. Therefore, it will probably have some shorter epilogues.
It has been so many years and I have been so slow. For that, I only want to give one excuse, life happened.
I began as a student with only my fiancé and me.
Today I have my medical licence, the same amazing fiancé but also two wonderful boys.
As it has been so long, I went back and updated almost every chapter with some minor correction to make a re-read more fluent. I also removed my answers to your wonderful reviews as I doubt you can remember what you wrote all those years ago.
I still treasure your comments like precious gems.
Thank you for these years. When life allows it, I will be back. Hugs, from Sweden.
