CHAPTER 53
I do not own skip beat! Yoshiki Nakamura does.
The Christmas ball
Part 6
- like a fairy tale-
Am I laying it thick? Yup. Do you need more toothpaste for your future rotten teeth, most probably. Not happy, bite me. Did I warn I love fluff and drama, like a lot? Maybe not enough. So here we are. You are going to eat those two ingredients by pool spoon. If you have an indigestion, go read something less fluffy. But I won't make less of it. Also, I know some people might be getting impatient to get them together( #Kaname lol) but I'm stating it again, I'm going to take my time and I'm sure after last chapter, some people might start to see the road I'm taking. Which means it will happen but not right around the bush.
Note in passing: begging for it might make me want to torture you even more. Just so you know.
"Can we switch to next present?" inquired Ren already eager at the prospect now that he knew the pendant had been well received by her.
She writhed in terror as she heard that but after all the emotions she just went through she didn't have the spirit to complain anymore.
She was about to agree when she remembered she also had an effortless way to get back at him and began to throttle like a maniac when she sorted out in her mind a very funny detail she had failed to see until now.
"What's so funny?" asked Ren curious.
She shook her head unable to speak at the moment between her bouts of laughs and cough several times as she struggled to pull out something out of the inside pocket of her coat.
When she finally calmed down, she straightened up and clasping a square package in her hands she turned back to him.
"It's just-…I got under the impression that sometimes…Sometimes we just have a similar thinking…well, she corrected with a new smile seeing his confusion, " More like…Great minds think alike"
He crooked his head on the side but he seemed to have understood, vaguely what she meant even if he didn't know in what way.
So Kyoko opened her hands showing him the packet before unceremoniously making it land in his lap.
He stared at it, completely confused.
"You didn't think I would not find a way for pay back, did you?"
He seemed even more lost and she held back a grin.
"Pay back?"
"I'm going to guess the magical but extravagant thing around my neck is the birthday gift, right?"
He nodded.
"So putting the wonderful roses aside you do not seem to have counted for some delirious reasons" she commented, still not understanding why he would go to such lengths or why he wasn't able to be moderate in his expenses toward others, "what you are trying to pull out on me is the-
"Christmas present" Ren finished for her with a grin that suffused no reject.
Kyoko grinned back victoriously.
"So…I should be allowed to give a Christmas present too, right?" she innocently said as a question but not really one in fact.
He looked at the package in wonders then back at her.
"No objection?"
He bowed humbly, pinching his lips in amusement.
"You clearly robbed me of any way to be untitled in doing so"
"Good"
He chuckled at the way she replied like he did a minute ago.
He went back to the packet with growing curiosity.
"Can I open it?"
"Sure"
He deliberately unpacked it as slowly as he could to savour it. He was touched she thought of him. It didn't even cross his mind that she could offer him something for Christmas but he was happy.
Once unwrapped he found himself staring at a little jewellery box and he barfed as her previous comment came back into mind.
"Now I see why you said we thought alike"
She quirked one side of her mouth.
"Keep going"
He lifted the lid, lips quivering in excitation until he saw the beginning of a silver chain under a protection wrapper.
He eyed her.
"Seriously?"
"Yup"
"Is it a fairy?"
She snorted, mirth in the eye.
"Not quite"
He observed the still covered thing with gnawing anticipation.
Finally, he took hold of the protection paper sheet and pushed it away to reveal what was inside.
He outright laughed while his heart bubbled with joy.
"No way…"
She smiled at him and Ren picked up the platinum pendant laying in the box. Though contrary to his gift to Kyoko it was not a medallion or locket. It was rather simple but still elegant. A rectangular plate form of at least 5 millimetres, so a little thicker than Kyoko's pendant which was only 2 and an half, composed it. Or so he more or less estimated. It was attached to the chain by the centre of the small sides of the rectangle where two very small rings welded to it permitted to hook the long chain. Which means it was worn at the horizontal.
The plate was simple. 6 and an half cm upon 2 and half maybe. It could rotate on itself on the length from one side of the plate to the other.
But it was the engraved inscription.
Written at the front Fairy boy could be read and when he upturned it, Fairy man appeared carved on the other side of the smooth surface.
He snorted. She had dared.
But,
It was cute and yet fitting. The plain but class design made it something he could wear in his every day routine without a care and just by a glance he could also tell it was robust so he wouldn't have to worry about damaging it.
She had found something that would fit his tastes and image and made it so much more. He chuckled inwardly. In her own way, she had made it as much about something between them as he had. They did think akin.
He had wondered if she still thought about their times as children as fondly even if she now knew he was not a fairy but he might now have had his answer.
"I can't believe you chose this sort of engraving" he laughed again.
Kyoko grinned.
"Hey, I nearly used boy on both faces"
"Like what?" He asked, curious to know what could have her other ideas.
She brushed her hair back in thought and Ren contained a sigh.
"Hmm…Fairy boy/Sneaky boy" she said after some thought.
He barked.
"Or if I kept man I thought about "teasing man" " she added with a knowing perked brow.
"I'm not such a teaser"
"Or playboy man"
He grimaced. When will he be able to get rid of that notion she had concerning him?
"Keeping fairy fitted you better though so" she nicked in all false seriousness. "You're my fairy after all"
"Thank you for your restraint" he commented with some relieved in his smile as he dissimulated the summersaults his pulse just made at the possessive pronoun she just used toward him.
"Pffff…"
Laughers escaped them.
Ren's eyes landed back on the pendant plate as his hand brushed it and he quieted down. It was the very first gift that felt so personal. The pillow was out of utility. He had told her he had troubles sleeping and that's how she thought about it he guessed.
But this,
This was intimate. At least to him. This was a bond between them. Something that irremediably linked them and plastered that bond to the world. Even if she wasn't aware of it.
Not only because it will be out for everyone to see but because it shown a little part of their common past. Of how dear it was.
She hadn't made it about something that necessarily needed a purpose. It was a tool or any sort of object that was supposed to help him take better care of himself. Not that he didn't liked when it was the case but it was more distant.
Not this time.
She had made her gift about him, about them. About her notion of him.
His fingers wrapped around the plate barely touching in fear it would evaporate or disappear. His index played with the chain as his thumb caressed the carved words.
It was like a signature of how she cared about their children memories.
It could have stopped there.
But the fact she engraved fairy man on the other side made him paused. It looked like she was acknowledging him as a man. Though, he knew it wasn't in the way he wished for. He thought it seemed like she was seeing for the man he was now, the person he was now and not only for the child with who she played with when they were little.
That was the impression it was giving him. By those words, she was acknowledging him.
Maybe he was over-interpreting it but he knew Kyoko wasn't the kind to let things to coincidences.
The fact she still used the word fairy to designate himself right beside the word man touched him the most. It was the biggest certitude and proof he would ever had she hadn't been hurt or her view tarnished by the plain sad true she guessed years ago.
And coming from her, it was like the highest compliment he could receive, no, that anyone could receive. Especially since she knew he wasn't one but still referred to him as one after all this time. It was like she was saying he would always be a fairy to her. Even right now. Even after his lies and the truth laying thick for a long while now. Even if he had no true magic to offer to her.
And while knowing he wasn't magical, it meant that somehow somewhere inside of her, he was still magical for her. Maybe. Not magical in the sense of some magical creature of course. But perhaps magical in the sense of special?
Magic has always been her special.
He wanted to shoot himself for this torturous pattern he was following.
It was so simple and yet so difficult to admit when he knew what it would do to his heart and he had been circling around the notion so that his mind wouldn't be able to put an exact word on it.
But there was no use. He knew.
In short and not alembicated thinking it meant he felt special.
He felt special. He felt like she saw him in her own special way.
He even seemed like she was taking a step toward him with this. Though no matter how closer they would be it would never be enough until he had her forever.
Still,
He didn't think any present could have represented more to him than this right this moment.
"Ren…Ren..Ren!"
He came out of his thought after the last one and turned to her puzzled.
"Sorry, you were saying?"
She stared at him oddly before pointing at his hands.
"I hope it isn't too tawdry she started again. "I'm sorry if it is. I tried to keep it as sober as I could but-
"Fasten it up for me" he cut her and held it in the air with zest and an open face that didn't let any unsavoury feeling be perceived making Kyoko rethink he had ever been unhappy with it.
She seized the chain and clipped the pendant behind his neck quickly.
"What do you think?" inquired Ren before posing.
She giggled at his antics as she observed how well the necklace landed just below his collarbones to the long chain and his massive shoulders. She had thought it would landed lower but hadn't want to take too much of a small chain knowing his build. There was even a little chain extension in the box just in case. Not because she thought it wouldn't do with what she chose but because she saw him wear longer lower chains so she wasn't sure what length he would prefer.
But with the chain that wasn't the most pliable, less floppy than some, despite being far from thick, it made a large circle from one collarbone to the other without even touching the neck in the end.
It just hooked around there, the chain outstretched against the top of the central part of his back before coming to the front. Not even dipping at the place of the plate itself. How he managed that just by the amplitude of his shoulders was beyond Kyoko.
"It looks amazing on you" she said.
He beamed and before she could realize it he took her by the waist and pulled against his side in an one-arm hug making her fuzzy instantly.
"I love it" He breathed.
"Thank you"
Her heart raced at his soft voice coming near her ear but she managed to pull out "you're welcome" even then.
He let go too soon to her taste but she couldn't complain.
When he smirked all of sudden before bringing back to her the bigger brown package of earlier she bit her lips and looked at him.
"Don't worry he said with a chuckle, "it's not as fancy and I even had some doubts but I thought that you might still like it so-"
Now she was curious.
She pulled at the soft green ribbon and eyed him as she did so.
He smiled.
"Go on. It won't bite"
She pulled her tongue at him and resumed to unwrap the packet. She heard him cough but didn't really pay it mind.
It happened the package was a damn trap. She knew that the minute she was halfway through opening it and noticed the three pieces between the protections folder sheets.
She growled at Ren.
"Now, now, calm down" he said and lifted his hands in an appeasing manner. "I know it seems like a lot started Ren, "but I didn't really know what you would like but I did see you looking cold several times since you came back and even grumbling about it over the phone when you were distracted and well I thought about the different situations you might need it and well, I ended up buying those three" he scrambled under her glare.
She couldn't argue she was having an hard time adapting herself between the travels from the States to here and back.
Her body had seemed to be regularly confused about how to feel about the temperature no matter where she would be those days. Japan had seemed cold when she came back. Maybe because it was still pretty gentle in San-Francisco thanks to the coast. But after a few weeks on Japanese grounds, it had felt warmer. And when she went back to the States it had felt freezing even if her body had been completely fine with this temperature the precedent years. And now she was back again in Japan and the thermometer said it was less cold than from where she came but for some obscure reason, her body didn't seemed to have taken note of that.
It was far from the first time she travelled from one country to another, though. It didn't make any sense. How the hell did he even noticed that sort of thing?
Under her suspicious gaze, he smiled and explained.
"I know how the temperature changes can be draining, especially between an island and another country"
Kyoko looked at him, confused but still replied.
"I travelled between States and England several times and never had this issue" she opposed.
He shook his head.
"It's not the same. From what I know and learned England is generally milder in winter and steadier thanks to warmer streams so the temperatures rarely go under the zero" He said. "So coming from California, the difference is lesser than to Japan where weather variate a lot from the area you are and it's sometimes colder. And if you add global climate change you can find yourself with messy days with snow in California like those last few years or more intense freeze in Japan"
"Chaos in short" she commented.
He chuckled.
"Pretty much"
"But though it's all places where the weather is supposed to be clement in winter he added after thought, "most changes seemed to go toward the colder side in those places. At least in winter."
"So you thought I might need some warmer things"
He nodded.
"I tried to pick things that could be wear over blouses or shirts but also that suffice in itself but you'll have to tell me" he added.
She was so focused on his elaborated explanations, she gobbled it all without even thinking it was clothes he had bought her.
Not finding any way to refuse it and frankly not wanting to, she finally finished unpacking it and pushing aside the last remains of semi-transparent sheets, she revealed what was inside.
A neat pile laid on her lap. The clothes looked thick and were of several colours. A deep red one. A very pale violet. And a light frozen lavender blue one.
She took the vibrant red one in her hands and slowly unfolded it. It was a slim pullover in twisted mesh that had long sleeves, a turtleneck and would reach third of her thighs. It had also square front pockets to put your hands there. It looked rather elegant but still comfortable.
She was amazed he got her size right when she checked it. She hadn't even spent that much time with him.
How did he even…?
She shook her head and inspected the other two.
The violet one was longer and the cut quite intricate. It was a ribbed dress-pull with a large turtleneck and tailored to be slightly oversized. This time it was meant to reach at least mid-thigh. The sleeves seemed to be ample and spacious and the shoulders more fitting but bust still slightly roomy. Then around the waist it was wider before tightening in an edging seam around the area where should go the backside and the top of her thighs. Two discreet slits indicated the presence of pockets too.
It was a really complicated cut and yet it looked so comfy and soft that just touching the texture of the cloth made her wish to be on her couch with her cat, reading while wearing this.
She bit her lips and folded it back before taking the last one. The light blue poncho. It was hooded batwing-shaped coat with a white fluffy edge on the hoodie.
It was very stylish and beautiful and she could tell it was in cashmere, her model jobs had made her learn a few more things on clothes compositions until she could recognize some by heart.
They were all absolutely enchanting and perfect for her. But they also all looked damn pricey.
There was a brand on each of them and she started to wonder if the reason she didn't recognized them was because the brands weren't famous enough or on contrary far too famous for her to know those.
There were those brands that were just classical, so international that everyone knew them. But those weren't part of that.
Kyoko briefly wondered if he had done that on purpose before changing her mind. He couldn't know which one she knew and wouldn't have gone as far just so that she would accept them, she was sure.
She contained a sigh. It was all so incredible. He had thought of everything. She didn't have any excuse available to refuse. Not that she wanted to but it was beside the point. She would have refused if it wasn't so useful, so amazing and so coming from him.
Her eyes glazed over the outfits as she folded back the third one and caressed the cloth of the poncho thoughtfully.
How did he think of all of that? How was she supposed to react?
Oh, she knew how she wanted to. She wanted to kiss him. Hell, she wanted to model those for him so he would tell her what he thought. Worse, she wanted an occasion to cuddle with him while wearing this. But she couldn't.
And now she wanted to murder her own mind to wander too far.
It's just damn pulls!
Utility Pulls. For cold weather. For cold days. For cold nights. Pulls to remove.
Why was she turned on by the prospect of mere pullovers?
Kyoko wanted to hit her head on something.
How could comfy be such a dangerous zone with him? Comfy was comfy. And Ren was Ren-Kuon-Corn. But now she knew mixing the two was like an elixir of seduction. Irresistible, deadly and too sexual for her own peace of mind.
She needed get things under control. Right. She just had to find something better to think about. It was just clothes. Brand new ones. But just clothes. Boring magnificent clothes.
And even if they were comfy, it would never be as good as it had been his clothes she would have worn.
NOT HELPING!
Okay. Just don't think about anything related to Ren, clothes or comfy and you'll be safe she thought.
"So?" came the voice of Ren, "Are they alright? Or did I make a mistake?" he asked her peaking over her shoulder.
Kyoko shook her head and Ren's face turned disappointed.
"You don't like them. Sorry, I knew I was taking a risk but I still thought that-
"Baka, why are you jumping to the worst scenario?"
"You are the one to talk" he fired back.
"Touché" she laughed.
"They are incredible, Ren" she admitted and he brightened hearing that. "Perfect. And I love them but it's too much" She shook her head. "It's far too much" she said again. And he had already offered her the medallion.
"You are not allowed to refuse them" he reminded with s severe face. He would not let her refuse them.
"You already gave me a Christmas present so I'm entitled to give you one, remember"
She bit her tongue, wanting to retort it was not the same, that it was far more and so much more but felt like she had walked by herself and settled her own trap in advance.
She sighed and nodded as she looked back at the outrageously impressive presents on her lap.
Ren's face into her field of view when he bent and twisted his head to meet her lowered eyes.
"You like it" he softly said, "please, don't refuse it"
Why did it looked like he was talking about something else altogether?
He placed his hand on his heart and turned his most pitiful puppy eyes at her "I put my all into choosing some that you would like you know, you would wound me if you refuse them"
She placed her hand on his eyes so she wouldn't have to look into them more.
"Okay okay, I got it, I got it. As if I ever had a chance to get out of here without them anyway" she grumbled to hide her disturbance.
His lips stretched but she didn't pull her hand off his eyes, her owns focused on the full and tempting lips barely a few inches away from hers. They looked firm but very smooth from where she was. She wanted to nib at them. Why did they looked so suave, lightly wet as they were.
So sexy…
She nearly jumped back when she realized she was starting to close in and removed her hand.
"Sorry" she said.
He shook his head. As if he was going to complain when she was touching him. Any graze was a drop water to the thirsty man he was.
"But shouldn't I get a new kiss for this one too?" He asked as he pointed to his cheek. "One gift, one present"
She snorted but leaned in anyway. She was starting to think he was in fact the cuddly type under his usual mask. Maybe she would have the chance to discover if her guess was right in the future…
She pecked his cheek.
"Thank you. They are really beautiful. Even if you shouldn't have" she still added in the end.
"You're welcome" he said and she rolled her eyes before her gaze naturally came back to fondly look at him.
He did the same, completely oblivious of how they looked or how much emotion they emitted at the moment and could have go on like that for a while if music hadn't start again all of sudden.
Kyoko looked at the direction of the ballroom with surprise. When did the music resumed? She hadn't noticed at all.
"It seemed the ending theme began without us" said Ren looking in the same direction as her.
She nodded and Ren grinned before smoothly standing and turning back to her.
"It would be a shame to not participate at all to it so what do you think of here?" he said as he slowly presented his palm to her.
"Are we even allowed to stay here?" she asked.
"No one came back for us so why not?"
She took his hand and he lifted her up. What else could she do? She would never say no to this hand. No matter her secrets, no matter what she thought or felt. Each time this hand would there, she would take it. She would always take it. Whether to help him or to be with him. Or for whatever reason would arise or make it possible.
They danced. They danced under the snow falling on them forgetful of anything that wasn't them. They danced several times through at least 4 of the six songs and paused to discuss a bit at times. Kyoko didn't remember all the songs but three of them. One was called Never say goodbye, another The stroke of midnight and finally the last one, the one that marked her the most in this theme, Time you should be sleeping.
They hadn't care about anything and by the time it finally ended, they were freezing. She had taken the time to wrap back the clothes to protect them from the snow but she hadn't a wrapper to protect herself and him from it. They couldn't pass on anything else on with the costumes anyway.
And even then they were sort of in a daze as they slowly made their way back inside as Lory declared he had the 5 winners and 15 losing ones in two envelopes but that he will announce who they are after the break while the room are prepared for the second part of the night. He told everyone to direct themselves in the big room and relax for a bit while they do that to already gather their outfit for after because the second the winners and losing ones are announced they will go change and the wheels and second part won't start until everyone is changed and settled.
PS: Hey everyone. I did it. I finally finished dancing part. Arff Arfff. That was tiring. I hope this chapter doesn't feel too much like a filer and that the description of the clothes won't bore you. As it's presents from Ren, I felt like I needed to describe them. I also needed to finish the dancing part so I finally decided to start second part of the night only next chapter. I hope you will like it.
I wish you all well.
Lot of kisses.
Reviews are food. Feed me.
Mimagfan.
AUTHOR OUT.
Songs of this chapter:
-The stroke of midnight, The royal romance.
-Never say goodbye, Desire&Decorum.
-Time you should be sleeping, Trans-Siberian Orchestra.